Unearthed
by crystaltears24
Summary: It's been three years since Garvey was defeated. Two since Chase left. Life had gone back to normal for the Davenports, everything seemed perfect. But little did Davenport know that his past was about to bite him in the butt - hard. Trust is shattered. Secrets are uncovered. Lies are exposed. The Davenports gear up for the ultimate - and last - showdown of their lives.
1. Chapter 1

**IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! Guys, the sequel is here! You know what that means? Well, I actually don't know what that means so I'll leave it up to you to decide what that means.**

**When you read this story, try to find as many character changes as possible and let me know what you find. A big hint is the fact that certain someones are comfortable calling a certain someone the three-letter D-word. No, it's not a swear word. I don't think there's even a three-letter d-word. If there is, I don't want to know. **

**!WARNING! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ FIGHT FOREVER, I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU DO. Or else you'll be kinda lost. Okay, a lot lost.**

**Oh, and can't forget this little guy: the disclaimer! I do not own Lab Rats or it's characters, nor do I own the songs that I use as chapter soundtracks.**

**I don't have much to say other than that, so, on with the show.**

* * *

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters. -Audrey Hepburn

A well-spent day brings happy sleep. -Leonardo da Vinci

* * *

"I'd like to thank you all for coming here today."

It was bright and warm and a large crowd buzzed with excitement as the speaker's voice rose over the murmurs...

* * *

..."Today is a momentous day not just for me, but for you, as well."

The crowd was silent, but expectant faces were turned in the direction of the speaker. Little kids squirmed in their seats and giggled, receiving a few _shhs_ and sharp glares from their parents...

* * *

..."It's such a huge blessing to be standing up here today. But it's more of a blessing to bring you what I have to offer."

Everyone was formally dressed. Suits and ties for men. Dresses and skirts for women. Little girls with their hair curled. Little boys with their hair combed...

* * *

..."This... This is only a prototype, but it's been scientifically proven to be sound. Imagine the difference, the hope we will bring when hospitals everywhere receive one just like it."

The speaker's hands were gripping the podium, but not in a nervous, stressful way. In fact, everything about him radiated confidence. His voice, his posture...

* * *

..."I developed this device out of the motivation from a personal experience. I couldn't help then, but I can help now."

His family sat in the front row, smiling and nodding in encouragement when his eyes meet theirs. His daughter and wife were elegantly dressed and sat with their hands folded in their laps and their legs crossed at the ankles. His two sons sat up straight, their suits without a wrinkle in them, while they listen carefully out of respect for their father...

* * *

..."I can't wait to see the looks of pure joy on your children's faces when they're able to hear again, and I'm sure you parents out there can't, either. And it's not just for children! It's for everybody. It's all possible now."

The speaker stood behind the podium, his dark eyes roaming the sea of faces. His hair was gelled and combed over in a professional way. He's serious now, but a youthful excitement was brewing under the businessman visage...

* * *

..."So with my unending gratitude..."

Everyone held their breath.

..."I present to you..."

Even the children stilled, picking up on the anticipation in the air.

..."The machine that will change futures."

The crowd erupted into applause as a sheet was pulled off of an object resting on a table. Cameras that were recording the event zoomed in on the object, the feed appearing on several large screens so all could see.

..."Ladies and gentlemen..."

People quieted down just for a moment, long enough so the speaker could finish.

..."The Otoneuron Surgical Replicator! Or, the OSR. It repairs damage done to the middle ear _and_ the inner ear. It can be programmed to repair any kind of damage, great or small. A giant advancement in the medical field."

The speaker paused as the crowd broke into applause again, this time accompanied with a standing ovation. The man at the podium smiled, softly verbalizing and nodding his thanks.

Another man stepped onto the stage, an older man with graying hair and wrinkled skin. The speaker stepped aside, handing over his position at the podium to the new arrival, who spoke into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, everyone! Donald Davenport!"

The crowd clapped harder, in addition to whooping and whistling.

Donald's family was on their feet, making the loudest noise.

Donald Davenport's smile grew larger and he nodded his thanks again. He shook hands with the other man, exchanging words that were lost among the sound of appreciation. They parted and the older man once again spoke into the microphone, holding out his hands and patting the air to calm the crowd.

Once the people settled down and were sitting in their seats, the man began. "The OSR will contribute to many, many people. It will change _lives_. The first few OSRs will be placed at specific universities so that future doctors can learn to operate this fine piece of equipment. In less than five years, OSRs will be shipped to every hospital. For the doctors who didn't learn to operate it in college, there will be courses available, led by graduates who did."

The man paused, swallowing as his eyes shown with tears. "I can imagine how parents will feel when their child is able to hear again. My beautiful daughter has been deaf for fifteen years, since she was four years old. All I've ever wanted was for her to hear again. And that's all possible now, thanks to Mr. Davenport."

There's applause again. Davenport, who was standing behind and to the right of the older man, raised his hand in acknowledgement, saying his thanks even if he couldn't be heard.

"Well," the speaker said, smiling. "I'll hand the spotlight back to Donald. This is his day, after all." Donald and the old man shook hands again, the latter walking off the stage once they broke away.

Donald stood behind the podium and leaned down towards the microphone, tilting his head until he could watch the older man as he descended the steps of the stage. "Give it up for Dean of Faculty, Henry Peterson, ladies and gentlemen!" More applause. Mr. Peterson smiled appreciatively and gave a small wave.

However, when Donald turned back to face the audience, his face was solemn. The crowd grew silent, and for a minute, the only things to be heard were birds chirping, trees rustling, and the faint sounds of traffic.

Then Davenport spoke. "I - by no means - am not contradicting the Dean's statement, but it's not just my day, but also yours." He pointed at the crowd, his eyes taking in all the people. He dropped his hand and gripped the sides of the podium, bowing his head slightly, gathering his thoughts.

Raising his head, he continued. "I mentioned that I was motivated to design this machine by a personal experience." He paused. With a sharp inhale of air, he plowed on. "My middle son had a tragic accident three years ago that left him deaf. I feared that it was permanent. Thankfully, it wasn't, but I remember the hopeless feeling I had, knowing I couldn't help him. It's something I never want to feel again. So I set out to build the Otoneuron Surgical Replicator. And after three years of trial and error, here I am, presenting it to you. It's like a dream come true." He was forced to stop, his throat tight and his vision blurry from tears threatening to fall. He glanced down at his family and could see the two women had tear tracks on their faces that they were carefully wiping at. His sons weren't crying, but they're expressions were sad.

"I just want to thank everyone for coming today. It's a beautiful day today, and I hear the food is great. Good day, everyone. And thank you, again." The audience cheered, clapping and whistling. Davenport smiled as he stepped off the stage, waving.

A young man took Davenport's place at the podium, smiling. "As Mr. Davenport said, the food _is_ great so why don't we go enjoy it. Feel free to..."

Davenport drowned out the man's voice as he approached his family, who had stood to greet him.

People were rising from their seats and mingling about, the air filled with laughter and quiet talking.

"You did great, honey!" Tasha said, embracing him. "I'm so proud of you!"

Adam clapped his hand on Donald's shoulder once the two adults broke apart. "I always knew you could do it, Dad."

Bree came up and wrapped her arms around the inventor, grinning. "Everyone loved you. Chase would be proud of what you did."

Davenport hugged his daughter back and nodded.

Davenport had worked on the OSR for three years, starting almost immediately after they got back from Damiana's, Chase's twin sister, funeral. Chase left to go his own way a year after that, and he only got to see the ideas and rough designs Davenport had in mind. Donald wished his son could see the finished product. And for his son to come home. Or at least make contact. Or something. In the two years since Chase'd been gone, no one had heard anything from the teen. No one knew if he was okay.

Donald pushed the thoughts of his missing son from his mind, knowing that they always make him sad. And today was not a day to be sad.

Davenport let go of his daughter but kept an arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Let's go get some food," he suggested.

"That's the best thing you've said today," Leo joked. The youngest out of the Davenport children, Leo had gotten taller, his voice deeper, and he'd filled out enough that he didn't look like a twig. Now he looked like a regular teen.

As the family got in line for the buffet under a large pavilion near the university Donald had spoke at, the inventor took time to study his other two children.

Adam was now twenty-years-old, and more mature than he'd ever been. He was taking online college courses, and Davenport felt pride at the thought of Adam in college. For the longest time, ever since he let the kids out of the basement and enrolled them in school, he was afraid that Adam would be one of those kids to slug through high school and never go to college. But Adam shattered those fears when he said he wanted to go to college so he could become something more, and _that_ made Davenport proud.

Bree was a beautiful nineteen-year-old young lady, her hair falling in long waves down her back. Her fire and passion only grew stronger with age, and she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and choose her own path, more than ever now that the choices she will make have the power to shape her future. She was going to college for psychology and was at the top in all her classes, making Davenport swell with pride. She was no Chase, but she was pretty smart when she wasn't compared to her younger brother.

The line shuffled forward, and after ten minutes of waiting, the Davenports got their food and found seats at a picnic table, where they talked, laughed, and ate.

Davenport had been right when he said it was a beautiful day. The sunshine was warm, but not too hot. A cool breeze blew every now and then, and the scents of flowers and food filled the air. In fact, the weather was so good that Donald's presentation had been held outside on the lawn of Outreach University with metal folding chairs set up in neat rows before the stage, a wooden, rectangular platform with steps on both short ends. Next to where the ceremony had been held was the pavilion, dozens of picnic tables placed underneath for people to eat on.

"So, I was thinking," Davenport started when no one else had anything more to talk about. "How about we go do something? As a family?" His children smiled in excitement.

It was rare to do things together anymore because of Tasha's job, Leo's school schedule, and Bree's and Adam's college classes. Davenport usually had plenty of time, since he spent his time inventing stuff, which had a pretty flexible schedule.

"Yeah!" the kids exclaimed, and for a moment, Davenport saw his innocent children, not the young adults they were.

"Alright, then," Davenport said, smiling as he took Tasha's hand in his own, meeting her bright gaze. "Let's go have some fun."

* * *

For the rest of the afternoon, the Davenports spent their time at an amusement park, riding roller coasters, eating popcorn, playing games... Laughing.

Adam challenged Bree to a game where you threw balls at stacked milk bottles to try to knock them all over. Adam kept trying to win by using some of his super strength, but he would only knock over two or three at a time. Let's just say, Bree laughed at the pout on Adam's face when she handed him the large purple teddy bear she won, which he reluctantly accepted.

Tasha and Davenport chose a game where they had to raise a bar to the very top of a pole by shooting water out of water guns at a small, nearly-impossible-to-hit target within a certain time limit.

"You're never gonna win this," Davenport boasted, picking up the water gun and getting into position.

"Oh, you think so?" Tasha questioned, one eyebrow raised. "Well, I know one way to win."

Donald turned to her, a smirk on his lips. "Really? How-" The bell rang, signaling for the players to start, and Davenport got a jet of water in his face.

He stood there in shock for several seconds, while Tasha laughed and squirted at her target in a steady stream of water, the liquid hitting its mark perfectly, the bar raising slowly.

There was movement in Tasha's peripheral vision, but when she turned her head slightly to look... she got blasted in the face with cold water. Gasping, she stopped squirting and closed her eyes while water dripped from her chin. When she opened them again, her eyes were full of vengeance, and she squirted at Davenport, quick as lightning, and hit him square in the forehead.

Davenport stood there, his lips pulled tight. He glanced down at his shoes while nodding in a _So that's the way it is_ manner, water falling from his nose. When he looked up, he was smirking. "Let's do this."

And from there, it broke into an all-out water fight, where the two adults squirted water at each other, Tasha occasionally squealing and Davenport _Aha!_-ing until the bell rang again and the water pressure was cut off from the water guns.

The two adults walked away, smiling and laughing and completely wet, but that was okay for them.

* * *

At the end of the day, the family found themselves at a large food court, where, in the middle, there was a dance floor. Music was blaring and people were dancing and others were looking on with smiles. Light bulbs hung from wires that were strung over the peoples' heads at varying heights, crisscrossing the court, and the food stands were decorated with strings of lights.

The sun was setting, dusk settling in.

The Davenports sat at a table, having just finished their desserts of ice cream.

"Today was awesome, Dad," Bree said, her eyes bright.

Davenport grinned. "I'm glad. It was meant to be."

There was a small pause where the family just sat comfortably in silence. The current song ended, and a new one began. Bree instantly perked up, a giant smile splitting her face.

"This is my favorite song! Come on, Adam! Dance with me!" She jumped up, grabbing her older brother's arm and pulling him up with her. Adam let himself get dragged onto the dance floor by his sister, and together, they danced to the music.

_Oo oooo, oo oooo, oo_

_I had a dream so big and loud_

_I jumped so high I touched the clouds_

_Whoa, whoa, whoaaa_

Donald and Tasha and Leo laughed as they watched Adam and Bree, Adam leading her in a fast and fun dance.

_I stretched my hands out to the sky_

_We danced with monsters through the night_

_Whoa, whoa, whoaaa_

People on the dance floor were smiling and laughing, dancing in their own way as they enjoyed life.

_I'm never gonna look back, whoa_

_I'm never gonna give it up, no_

_Please don't wake me now..._

People paused in anticipation as the song faded out of the pre-chorus... and slammed into the chorus.

_Whoa, whoa, whoaa_

_This is gonna be the best day of my life_

_My li-i-i-ife_

Adam spun his sister around, letting her go after several twirls as she danced solo, her moves graceful and fluid, her brother clapping to the beat as he watched, laughing in amusement, his dark eyes bright with happiness.

_Whoa, whoa, whoaa_

_This is gonna be the best day of my life_

_My li-i-i-ife_

Adam and Bree stepped back together, dancing as if they were pros. Bree threw her head back and laughed, feeding off of the energy in the air, and her hair whipped around her as they danced.

_I hear it calling, outside my window_

_I feel it in my soul (soul...)_

Bree and Adam slowed their movements to match the tempo, almost waltzing.

_The stars were burning so bright_

_The sun was out 'til midnight_

_I say we lose control (control...)_

The siblings picked up their pace again as the beat became light and bouncy, their bodies moving with the flow.

_Whoa, whoa, whoaa_

_This is gonna be the best day of my life_

_My li-i-i-ife_

_Whoa, whoa, whoaa_

_This is gonna be the best day of my life_

_My li-i-i-ife..._

Brother and sister danced, danced until the song ended. When they returned to the table, they were breathless from the excitement, their muscles aching in a pleasurable way from the workout.

Leo was grinning from ear to ear. "You two were _awesome!_ Did you see the way people parted around you? You guys were the best ones out there!"

Bree and Adam shared wide-eyed looks. It was true, but they had been too caught up in the moment that they never noticed.

Bree smiled sweetly. "Thanks, Leo."

Davenport watched his children, an emotion he couldn't name swelling up in his chest. But it was a good feeling.

"I hate to say it guys," the adult said, standing up. "But it's time to get going." Tasha joined him, and they linked arms as they moved around the table.

Bree joined her father on the other side of him while the boys trailed behind, and she clung to his arm as if she were a little girl again, which, in Davenport's eyes, she was - not the beautiful woman she was becoming. "Thanks for today, Dad," she said, looking up at him. "It was special."

Davenport leaned over and placed a kiss on top of her head. "That's what I'm here for, sweetheart. To make your lives special."

With that, the Davenports found their car and filed in. The car ride home was spent in silence, everyone pleasantly tired from the day's excitement.

No one went to bed that night without a smile on their face.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: The Best Day of My Life by American Authors**

**Well? How was the first chapter of Unearthed? I know it probably seems OOC, but we're talking major character changes since the events of Fight Forever. Three years, people.**

**So, I don't have the entire story written. I don't even have chapter two written at this point. So updates might (probably will) be sporadic. **

**Review, please :) I love hearing your thoughts.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, this chapter took a while. And I feel bad because it's so short too. But it's done. I'm happy with it. I think. I'll let you guys be the judges. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lab Rats or the characters except for my OCs. Nor do I own the chapter soundtrack songs.**

* * *

I decided to fly through the air and live in the sunlight

and enjoy life as much as I could. - Evel Knievel

All good things must come to an end; after which

evil reigns and darkness thrives, rejoicing once

the sun has vanished. - Anon.

* * *

Bree Davenport was floating on cloud nine, her head so high in the clouds that she felt slightly air-deprived.

And only one person could do that to her.

She was on her way to meet him now, driving her convertible with the roof collapsed and the radio playing at a comfortable level while her fingers drummed on the steering wheel. At stoplights, she'd take the chance to check herself in the mirror, making sure her makeup hadn't been messed up in any way and that her hair didn't look like a terrible wreck. But each time she looked, she was always the same, her makeup light but noticeable, her hair perfectly windblown, something she thought only happened on television.

She pulled her sunglasses down from their resting spot on her head to settle them on the bridge of her nose. For once, she actually felt _beautiful_.

He always did that to her. She always felt nervous when she started out to meet him. Then confident the closer she got. Then she would be a nervous wreck again, butterflies fluttering so strongly in her stomach that she felt like passing out.

Bree turned on her turn signal and spun the wheel, grinning like an idiot to herself. He told her to meet him in their favorite spot, saying he had something for her, and to dress pretty, but not to overdo it.

The first few butterflies were popping up and soon would be calling for their buddies. _Hey! Come torture this poor girl over here! Do we feel bad? Nah! Who cares if she ends up barfing all over her boyfriend's shirt? It'll be fun!_

Bree finally arrived at her destination, parking the car then climbing out.

It was a mall's parking lot. _The_ mall's parking lot. Mission Creek Mall was where she first met him, in the plaza in the middle.

As Bree walked across the blacktop, she took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, soak in the warm sun, and relish in the cool breeze. All the makings of a beautiful day.

The young woman strode briskly into the mall, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor. She caught the looks of men as she walked by but ignored them, smiling to herself because there was only one guy she was interested in.

Bree reached the plaza and stopped to look around, standing on her toes to get a better look. No sign of him.

"Excuse me, ma'am. May I help you?" The voice came from behind her, and somehow she knew the person was talking to her even though she didn't turn around.

"No, thank you," she said distractedly. "I'm looking for-" She paused. A grin started to form on her face as she slowly turned.

It was him. The love of her life.

Lance Decker.

Bree laughed and threw her arms around him, holding him close. "Lance! It's good to see you."

Lance pulled back, a smirk on his face. "I know. I'm that awesome."

Bree smacked his arm. "You'd better get off that high horse of yours very soon or you're going to find yourself single."

Lance feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart. "Hurtful!" But the two laughed it off, knowing that there was no way they'd ever be separated, not for a long time.

Lance took Bree's hand, and they meandered around the plaza, smelling the great food and watching the different people.

The two had met during their graduating year of high school, Lance's family having just moved to Mission Creek. Bree and Lance instantly clicked, sharing so much in common and planning similar futures. Now they went to the same college and took practically the same classes. In everyone else's eyes, they were the perfect fit. But the two knew they were far from perfect. A year before, they almost broke up.

Lance's mother had died and his father became distant, working almost twenty-four/seven, leaving Lance to practically raise his younger brother and sister on his own. Stressed and grieving, Lance tried pushing Bree away, but the stubborn girl refused to be brushed off that easy. She confronted him, and they battled long and hard, giving reasons why she should stay, why he should let her go, why he should open up, why he didn't need to. In the end, Bree won, and they came out stronger than ever.

"What are you thinking about?" Lance asked Bree after she'd been silent for a while.

Bree smiled, and looked down at their intertwined hands. "You, us, wondering what's in store." She chuckled softly when she realized where they were.

Sure, she and Lance had seen each other around the school during senior year, but they never really met until one day at the mall, in the very spot where they stood now.

It was a wooden bench on the edge of the plaza, where they had both sat and found out they shared a similar interest.

The bench was currently empty, and the two sat down next to each other, much like they did the first day they connected.

"So..." Bree asked after a few moments of quiet. "Why'd you bring me here? You said you had something for me?"

Lance jumped up, his eyes wide with a look of excitement. "Oh, yeah!" He stood in front of her, wrestling with something in his jacket pocket. Something suddenly fell out, landing on the floor by Bree's feet. "Oops!" Lance bent down on one knee to pick it up. He brushed it off with his hands and lifted his head, a huge smile on his face. He remained on one knee and lifted up the object for Bree to see.

With a gasp, Bree went still, everything suddenly clicking. Their most memorable place, the kneeling on one knee, the... _the box._

Lance held in his hands a black velvet jewelry box, which he slowly opened to reveal a diamond ring inside. Bree raised a hand to her mouth in shock, her eyes fixed on the ring as strong emotions battled within her.

"Bree Davenport," Lance began, his voice sounding a little choked. "You have been... the _best_ thing in my life since my mother died. I wouldn't have made it without you. You've done so much for me, so much more than I could ever repay with trinkets or money or hugs. But I'm hoping this ring will cover some of it, and forever together will take care of the rest.

"Bree Davenport," Lance said, taking a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

Bree couldn't think, couldn't move. She didn't register the fact that she had started crying, nor did she notice the circle of people watching them with adoring eyes. At some point during Lance's speech, her eyes had found his, and she stared into them unwaveringly.

Silence reigned for several tense seconds as the people held their breath, waiting to see what she would say.

"Lance..." Bree murmured. "I... I..." She took a deep breath and laughed. "Of course I will, you idiot!" she sobbed, smiling and launching herself into his arms. "You wouldn't make it without me!"

Lance sighed in relief and gripped her tight as the people who were watching them started clapping and laughing and cheering.

"I love you," Lance whispered in her ear.

Bree's only response was to hug him tighter.

* * *

The door to the Davenport mansion slammed open with a loud _crash_. Everybody in the living room and around the kitchen looked up in alarm only to relax when they saw a beaming Bree standing just inside the doorway.

"Bree!" Leo exclaimed, placing a hand over his racing heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Bree's only response was to hold up her left hand and smile wider.

Tasha squealed, Adam choked on his food, Leo's draw dropped, and Davenport grinned knowingly.

Tasha jumped up from the couch, laughing and crying as she ran to Bree. She took the younger girl's hand in her own and admired the diamond ring. "Oh, Bree, honey! It's gorgeous," she breathed.

Leo, who was sitting next to Adam on the couch, smiled, finally finding his voice. "Congratulations, Bree!"

Adam managed to stop choking and asked, his voice strained, "My little sister's getting married?"

Leo glanced at Adam with an amused smile, but Bree ignored her brother, choosing instead to meet eyes with Davenport, who was standing by the island in the kitchen. _Did you know?_ she mouthed. Davenport grinned and nodded.

The silence that ensued afterward was broken by the sound of crying, and everyone turned to find the source. It was Adam.

"My little sister's getting married," he bawled, leaning onto Leo, who awkwardly patted Adam while looking at the others for help.

Everyone was fighting smiles, trying to feel sympathetic for Adam, but it was a losing battle.

Bree pulled her hand out of Tasha's grip and crossed the room while saying, "Aww, Adam!" She sat down on the other side of her older brother, and he sat up straighter, facing her. She placed a comforting on his shoulder. "Sure, I'm getting married. It's a huge step forward into adulthood, but I'll always - _always_ \- be your little sister."

Adam smiled and embraced her tightly. "Thanks, Bree."

Bree hugged back, a gentle smile on her face. "Anything for you."

* * *

"There comes a time in everyone's life when their past sins catch up to them and drag them down. Some try to run, some try to fight, but, really? There's no escape. You can't forget the past, and the past won't forget you."

A man chuckled darkly, a bitter smile on his unkempt face. Dull grey light fell on him from a small barred window. Rain could be heard pelting the window, adding to sense of depression.

Sighing, he continued. "You can lock away the past and try to move on, but eventually it will escape and hunt you down, a looming shadow on a bright sunny day. My past caught up to me a long time ago. I regretted my choices for a while, then I was consumed with anger. Anger at the world, anger at the man I used to call friend.

"I betrayed him, and for that, he took everything from me. I became bitter, but I should've realized that it was just my mistakes catching up to me."

The man smiled, his eyes glinting dangerously. "I don't regret what I did, though. He deserved all of it. And more. A storm's coming. A big one. And there's nothing he can do to stop it."

From behind where the man was sitting, a voice spoke from the darkness of the room. "Mr. Garvey, I'm here on the grounds that you have some valuable information for me, not a story of pasts and revenge."

Harrison Garvey's tired blue eyes flicked up to the window, the light catching on his dull blond hair, which used to be healthy and rich-colored. His skin was pale, and his face was gaunt. He was put here, in this cell, in this awful life. His freedom was taken away, and that would not go unpunished.

Harrison Garvey smiled, knowing full well that the man behind him couldn't see his grin. "You're right, Agent Daniels. You don't need to hear my sap story. I _do_ have information for you." He paused for effect, the only sound being the patter of rain on the window. Then he inhaled.

"There's been an act of treason against our beloved country."

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack #1: On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons**

**Chapter soundtrack #2: Pure by Evil Techno**

**How was it? Did the soundtracks fit?**

**You're in for a treat in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter three, guys! Fresh off the press! Literally, I just finished writing it and proofreading it. The thing is, I only read over it once, so there could be quite a few mistakes that I missed.**

**Okay, so, I should have responded to this review in the A/N in chapter two, but I just remembered it now. Sorry. PJO-obsesser: I don't know if I will make Chase already have a girlfriend when/if he and his family meet (see what I did there? I'll keep you guessing yet, hehe), but I might do something similar to your request. **

**Anyway, moving on. **

**Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they

are watching their whole world fall apart,

and all they can do is stare blankly.

\- F. Scott Fitzgerald

* * *

"Sir, my agents have moved in."

* * *

Donald Davenport gasped for air as he ran, his hands reaching to protect the back of his head and his body hunching over slightly as fire exploded behind him, shards of drywall and wood flying everywhere.

His eyes were frantic, and his face was covered in dust and a few bruises. He ran through the halls of his mansion, which was once peaceful but was now a battlefield. He turned a corner, going so fast that he slammed into a wall, but he scrambled to keep going, to reach his family.

Shouting. Men were shouting, chasing after him through the smoke, the flashlights on their guns pinpointing the inventor and jiggling with the men's movements. But Donald wasn't worried about them. He was worried about his wife and stepson. He reached the top of the stairs and roared in anger when he saw men forcing his wife and son to the ground, trying to cuff their hands behind their backs.

He practically flew down the steps, and before he knew it, he was punching a guy's lights out, then another. His wife and stepson fought back, but they were no match against the highly trained operatives. And soon, Donald Davenport was kissing the ground as well, his arms yanked behind his back to be cuffed.

A tear escaped the corner of his eye as he looked around his home, which was being reduced to ashes. His furniture was ruined, his floor littered with debris that was still floating down in fiery pieces.

Gone. It was all gone.

* * *

"They're taking down the inventor and his family as we speak."

* * *

The men swarmed Adam before he even saw them coming. His fellow coworkers at his job fled, screaming, along with the customers at the Good Buy.

Adam fought them off, slipping in his super strength to send operatives flying. Once he got a clear shot, he took off, running down the aisles to get away. He darted for the backdoor exit, slamming into the release bar and shoving the door open.

The sun blared right in his eyes, forcing him to put a hand up to shield his face. He heard lots of men shouting and helicopters circling... and the distinct sound of guns cocking.

He was surrounded. A dozen black SUVs at the least. Men hid behind everyone of them, aiming guns right at him.

Before he could move, he was tackled from behind and sent crashing to the ground. Someone tazered him, and he flopped around while they restrained his arms with something stronger than the standard metal cuffs.

In an instant, the strongest human being in the world was reduced to a pathetic, drooling mess.

* * *

"Within the next few hours, sir, we'll have possession of the bionic subjects."

* * *

Bree and Lance were taking a quiet walk around the neighborhood when the agents swooped in, and in seconds, Lance and Bree were ripped apart. Bree was dragged away, kicking and screaming. Lance yelled, fighting to get to Bree, but the men threw him aside, onto the road. Bree screamed his name, lunging forward against the arms that restrained her.

A man kicked Lance in the side, several times, then pointed his gun at the younger man's head.

"_NO!_" Bree surged forward, and suddenly she was free, by Lance's side in the blink of an eye. She helped him up, but she couldn't zip away. She tried - failed. Her face screwed up in confusion, but she didn't get a chance to dwell on it.

She was torn away again, screaming Lance's name. Her fiancé reached out for her, but men stopped him, handcuffing him and dragging him away.

Bree struggled, but it was all for naught. And she didn't realize that her flailing had flung something away - something important.

The diamond ring bounced against the pavement, unseen. It rolled to a stop on the cracked road.

Alone and abandoned.

* * *

"Well, sir? What do you think?" The young man waited with baited breath as he watched his superior, who stood in front of large windows in his office, gazing at the bright city landscape below.

The older man inhaled, lifting his head. "It's a great plan, Agent Derin. I approve greatly."

Agent Derin sighed in relief. "Thank you, Director Wagner."

Director Wagner turned around, fixing the agent with a serious gaze. "This is a momentous day for the FBI. No other agency has caught wind of our discovery, but be aware that when they do, they'll want to get their grubby little paws all over it. It's up to us to win the race first."

Agent Derin nodded, hanging on to every word. "Yes, sir. We'll get the information we want before the others even know the bionic subjects exist."

Director Wagner smiled, but it was empty. "Good." He turned away, the young agent's cue to leave.

Just before the man left, the director called him back. "We no longer have any need for Harrison Garvy. See to it that he's never inclined to share his secrets again."

Agent Derin clearly understood the undertones in the director's voice, and nodded. "I'll have it arranged." With that, he left.

Director Wagner sighed in contentment and turned to look out the window again, marveling at the snowy landscape of the nation's capital, Washington D.C.

* * *

_Thud, thud, thud._

The sounds of knocking on the door resounded throughout the dark room. The door was opened without permission, and a male nurse in white scrubs walked in, carrying a tray with pills and a plastic cup filled with water on it.

"Good day, Harrison," the nurse said, coming to stand by Garvy, the man once again sitting in his chair with his wrists cuffed to the arms.

Garvy smiled. "Is it, really?"

The nurse faltered for a moment, but quickly recovered. "Yes, it is. It's a big day."

"Oh?" Harrison raised an eyebrow, staring into the darkness. He didn't push for anymore information.

"Time for your medication," the nurse said, setting the tray down on a nearby table that was illuminated by the light spilling through the open doorway.

Harrison sat still, a contemplative look on his face. "You're new here." Even though it was phrased like a statement, it was spoken like a question.

The nurse chuckled as he undid the cuff to Harrison's right hand. "Yes, sir. How'd you g-" He was cut off sharply when Harrison slammed his hand into the nurse's windpipe in a quick jab the moment his hand was free.

As the nurse scrambled away, clutching his throat and gasping, Harrison calmly undid the strap to his left hand while he spoke. "You want to know how I knew you were new? Or should I say, not even part of the medical staff of this facility?" He stood up and stretched, then turned to face the man who was crawling for the door. "The number of mistakes you made was enough that you should be embarrassed as an undercover agent.

"First, you don't smell like disinfectant and generic brand soap of the faculty. You have the distinct smell of expensive cologne that none of the orderlies here could possibly own." He came up alongside the agent and kicked him in the ribs.

"Second, you left the door open. All nurses are required to shut the door and turn on the lights for precautionary reasons." Harrison kicked him again. "Third, and most importantly, you _never_ release a restrained patient. They are restrained for a reason after all," he said in a _duh_ tone. He fisted his hand in the agent's hair and lifted his head only to punch it down, effectively knocking the man out.

Harrison straightened and fixed his hair, gazing down at the prone man lying on the floor. Looking up, he walked over to the door and shut it after making sure it was unlocked on the outside so he could get out. The hospital's doors never locked from the inside, so Harrison had to work fast to make sure he didn't get caught.

Quickly, he shed his patient uniform in favor for the nurse scrubs. Once the agent was dressed in Harrison's old clothes, he dragged the man over to the chair and lifted him onto it, buckling the man's wrists with the cuffs; once he was done, he stepped back to survey his work. He noticed the pills and water and realized he almost missed an important detail.

Garvy grabbed the pills and put them in the unconscious agent's mouth, then forced him to swallow once Harrison had poured the water in. Brushing off his hands to rid himself of the invisible dirt, Harrison looked around the room to see if he needed anything else. He spotted something, and a smile broke out on his face, approaching the nightstand beside his bed.

Lifting his bowler hat, he twirled it expertly between his hands and set it on his head. It was the one possession of his that he was allowed to keep. How could a crazy person possibly murder someone with a hat? Harrison straightened and walked to the door, opening it.

Before he left, he turned back to the room. Smirking, he tipped his hat goodbye. Maybe it was to the unconscious man in the chair. Maybe it was to the years he'd spent in that room. Whatever it was, Harrison was leaving it behind.

He backed out the door, closing it, then locking it shut. As he walked down the hall in triumph, his smirk grew. All that mattered now was the future. Davenport would pay for everything.

He wasn't supposed to have escaped that room. He wasn't supposed to be free. But he was given an opportunity, and he took it.

He already lost once. In the movies, in the books, in the TV shows - any villain who is given a second chance usually fails again. But Harrison was determined to test fate.

And testing fate was like playing with fire.

Harrison smiled.

He liked to play with fire.

* * *

**I have a specific video on YouTube for the soundtrack for this chapter. It's just a background picture, but I feel like it's a really, really good picture of Harrison and his character. Look for the video with a guy with fiery eyes tipping his hat.**

**Chapter soundtrack: Playing With Fire by Chroma Music**

**So, what y'all think? Feedback, please? Pretty please? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, I am such a bad person. I've had this sitting - completed, mind you - on my laptop for almost two weeks, if not more. I feel really bad, but I've been really sick the last couple of days, so I had a very good reason for being lazy. **

**I only used three line break thingies! Yay! I think this is the first chapter ever to have no line thingie-ma-goos interrupting it, besides the one separating the quotes from the story, but that one doesn't count. I just got really excited. **

**Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

When you're in the serious situations, you've got to try to

stay calm. Because that's the way you get out of them.

\- John Newcombe

Your true friends are the ones that do not come when

you ask them, but come when they know you

need them the most.

\- Anon.

* * *

"How did you develop the bionic weapons?"

"They're not weapons!"

"What were you planning to do with them? Train them then turn them into your personal assassins?"

"What? No- _No! _That's not what it's like! You don't understand-"

"Where's the third bionic, Mr. Davenport?"

"I don't know."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! He's gone! You'll never find him."

"We confiscated all the files in your lab. We know every detail, every secret about the weapons, so don't lie to us."

"I already told you! _And they're not weapons._ I wasn't going to make them into soldiers or assassins. I raised them so they could save the world!"

The agent sitting across from Donald Davenport raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Yeah. Right. We have a source that claims otherwise."

Donald's face was flustered, and he struggled to keep up with his interrogator. "Wh-? What source?"

"That remains confidential. Mr. Davenport, you do realize you have committed a serious offense against your country."

Davenport tried to gesture with his hands, but the cuffs locked around his wrists and chained to the table made it difficult. "I don't remember a law stating that raising bionic children - to save the _world_, by the way - was illegal." The agent - who's name was Gregory Derin, Donald recalled - squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat, but Donald continued on before the other man could speak. "You said it yourself: You confiscated all my files. I kept record of all the missions we undertook. You can see for yourself that all we did was save people like _you_. You have no right to keep me - _us_ \- here!"

"Unfortunately, Mr. Davenport, that's not the case." Agent Derin looked sure of himself again, and Donald swallowed his worry. "While we have reviewed every file and have determined that your actions were... noteworthy, you have trespassed on private property _and_ government property-"

"To save lives!" Donald interjected.

"-resorting to questionable methods," Derin finished, ignoring Donald's interruption. "And, more seriously, you have performed illegal human experiments and have violated the Nuremberg Code. Not to mention that you committed child endangerment by performing experiments on your children. That, Mr. Davenport, is enough to keep you around for a while."

Donald was speechless. How did everything go so wrong so fast? "What about my family?"

The other man smiled. "They'll be released soon enough, after questioning."

Donald sighed in relief. "Good. You'll make sure my wife and kids will get home safely, right?" Donald thought he saw a flicker of satisfaction in Agent Derin's eyes, but it passed too fast for the inventor to be sure.

"Kids? Oh - right. Mr. Davenport, your two bionic children have been seized as government property. They won't be going home."

Donald sat up suddenly, first shock, then rage crossing his face. "You can't do that! You have no right!"

Agent Derin sat forward, on fire now. "We have every right, Mr. Davenport. They have been seen as a threat to this country - too dangerous to be left unguarded. Which reminds me... _Where's the third bionic?_"

Donald leaned forward as well, his face darkening, his eyes angry. "I told you. He's gone. He left two years ago. Haven't heard from him since. And you know what? I'm _glad_. You will _never_ be able to find him."

Agent Derin paused, studying the inventor's deadly serious face. Then he stood, pushing his chair back. "We'll see about that." He gathered the files that had been strewn on top of the table, and headed for the door. "We're very good at what we do." The man had gotten the door open and was halfway gone when the lights suddenly went out. Three seconds later, the red emergency lights clicked on, bathing everything in an evil glow.

"What in the world...?" Agent Derin murmured, looking both ways down the hall, then glancing at Davenport.

Suddenly, there was a muffled _boom_ and some small tremors. Agent Derin stiffened at the sound, then dropped the files and took off down the hall once men started yelling in the distance.

Davenport wanted to call after the man, but he knew it would be no use. He instead focused on the handcuffs and trying to get free, but that was a hopeless case, too. He heard more yelling, and fear began to crawl its way into his heart. Where was his family? Were they alright?

Donald grew frustrated. Frustrated at himself, for not doing enough. Frustrated at the world, for always giving them lemons. When would they ever get a break?

Someone dashed into the room, and Davenport opened his mouth to say something but then he noticed the profile of the arrival.

It was a girl of slight build, around five feet six inches. She had long hair tied into a pony tail, and her clothes consisted of ratty jeans and a punk t-shirt.

For a split second, Davenport thought the girl was Damiana, his dead daughter. But that was impossible because Damia was, well, dead. His gaze finally adjusted on her face, and he realized she was nothing like Damia at all.

She was very pretty, around sixteen, but her eyes showed that she wasn't just any girl. The blue orbs were hard from years of a tough life, and they were so perceptive that they were unnerving, like she was seeing more than just your face - like she could see every thought, hope, and fear inside you.

The girl studied Davenport, then she tossed something at him. Luckily, Davenport was able to catch the object and he rolled it around in his hands, his brow furrowed in confusion. When he looked up, the girl was already starting to back out of the room.

She tossed him a smirk. "Don't forget that you have friends," she said cryptically.

Then she was gone.

Davenport's stare lingered on the doorway, but then he remembered he was given an opportunity to escape. He'd be an idiot if he missed it.

Donald rolled the key to the handcuffs between his fingers, thanking the girl - whoever she was - as he unlocked the cuffs.

He immediately stood up once the handcuffs fell off, and was out the door. He looked both way, only then concerned on how to find his family and get out. Then he noticed the emergency lights to his left were blinking faster than the ones on his right. Davenport realized it was the opposite way the agent had gone, and he figured that the person who caused the blackout was helping him by leading him away from the danger.

But he hesitated. _Was_ the person leading him away from danger and to his family? The lights continued to blink at their quickened pace. Davenport spotted a security camera and couldn't help staring at it. No doubt his savior was watching him.

Davenport made a decision. He followed the lights.

They led him around corners and down corridors, a complex maze that Donald would never have been able to navigate in the _light_, let alone the dark.

The inventor turned a corner and sensed something was different in that hall. It took him a second to realize that an emergency light above a door was blinking rapidly, faster than the rest.

Donald approached the door, hesitating only a second before opening it. What he saw inside nearly made him sob.

"Donald!"

Tasha ran into his open arms, Leo not far behind. They embraced each other tightly, their reunion lifting an invisible burden they didn't realize they were carrying.

"It's so good so see you," Donald murmured into Tasha's hair, then kissed her on the crown of her head. "But we need to go."

"How are we going to get out?" Leo asked, following the inventor out of the room.

Davenport smiled tightly. "It seems that we have a friend." He pointed to the blinking lights, flashing one after another down the hallway like lights on a runway.

They moved at a fast pace, silent and alert for any signs of danger. They never encountered anyone, though. The distraction needed to draw everyone away like that must have been a doozey.

The lights led them around a corner, and there, at the end of the hall, was a door with an exit sign above it.

"No way," Leo said doubtfully. "It's that easy?"

Davenport shared Leo's concerns. Why didn't the lights take him to Adam and Bree? "Tasha, take Leo and get out. I'm going to find Adam and Bree."

Something caught Davenport's eye, and he looked up. It was like the lights were flashing more urgently now, leading down to the door at an anxious pace. Donald realized there was a security camera in a corner above the door, and it was pointed straight at them. He looked up at the wall next to them and saw a group of cameras near the ceiling on the corner's edge, pointing down the different halls. One of the cameras was tilted down at them. Whoever was behind the controls had seen Donald's hesitation and was urging him to go.

Davenport had trusted the mysterious person so far... and even though it pained him, he decided to trust him one more time.

Donald grabbed Tasha and Leo gently and guided them to the door. "Let's go."

Leo sputtered. "But what about Bree and Adam?"

Donald faltered, but only slightly. "We'll find them. I promise."

They reached the door, and when they pushed it open, they saw flights of stairs beyond, leading upward and downward. Davenport trusted his gut and led his family down.

Davenport paused when he heard one set of footsteps stop, and turned around to see Tasha slipping off her heels. "Tasha!" Donald whispered harshly, incredulous.

Tasha glared at her husband. "You try going down stairs really fast in these heels!" she whispered back.

When she was done, Donald reached out and softly grabbed her elbow, staying with her as they rushed down the stairs to make sure she wasn't left behind. Leo went ahead of them, and they all descended quickly, reaching the bottom in surprising time. They slowed when they reached the ground floor, pressing themselves against the wall on either side of the door that would empty them out of the stairway.

Donald peeked out the narrow glass window set in the metal door. Beyond was the lobby to the FBI building. It was dark, and empty, from what the inventor could tell. He spotted the doors that led outside, and his heart rate began to speed up. They were going to make it.

But suddenly they heard a door open then slam shut from one level above, and the family froze. Hurried footsteps echoed off the walls, descending. There was more than one person, by the sound of it.

Donald eased open their door as quickly yet as quietly as he could and motioned his family through. Then he stepped out, shutting the door silently behind him and pressing himself against the wall next to the door to ambush the people who would through. Tasha realized the need to get out, so she took Leo and they left together, running for the entrance.

Donald inwardly sighed in relief when Tasha and Leo made it out safely but then refocused when the sounds on the other side of the door grew louder. There were hushed whispers that Donald couldn't make out and shuffling. The door cracked open, and Donald prepared to pounce. It inched away slowly from the wall... And Donald relaxed with a sigh, and a big one at that.

Adam stepped through first, then Bree.

"Adam! Bree!" Donald cried softly, approaching them. The two young adults jumped slightly at his voice, but they relaxed too when they saw him. "Thank goodness you're alright!" He embraced the two, and it always still surprised him when they hugged back without hesitation.

"We're fine, Dad," Bree said. Her voice shook the tiniest bit, but she smiled bravely.

Donald opened his mouth to ask a question, but then they heard a door slam open in the stairway, followed by the drumming of many feet on the stone stairs.

Davenport's face paled and he ushered his kids towards the entrance. "We need to move, _now_."

They ran across the large lobby and out the entrance, pausing outside when they were slammed with frigid pre-dawn air. The sky was just beginning to lighten up, but moonbeams still reflected off of the snow that thickly blanketed the ground. Even at the early hour, the sound of traffic could be heard, and the lights of buildings shone.

Below them, near the road, Tasha and Leo waited by a black Nissan Patrol Y61, a powerful car meant for rough situations.

Tasha and Leo waved them on while they huddled together to keep warm. Bree, Adam, and Donald heard the shouting behind them at that point and they looked back to see men emptying out of the stairwell, heading straight for them.

Bree grabbed Davenport and Adam and super speeded down to Tasha and Leo. They all climbed into the car, Davenport running around to the driver's side. As he swung the door open, he saw black SUVs screeching towards them, which spurred him into action. He got in the car and started it up, the strong engine roaring to life. Donald shifted the Patrol into gear and they took off, flying down the streets of Washington, D.C.

"How are we going to lose these punks?" Adam asked, twisting in his seat in the back row to look out the rear windshield.

Donald's grip on the wheel was white-knuckled. "I don't know. But what I do know is that we've got to stay calm and think rationally." He took a sharp turn, but it wasn't enough to shake the FBI agents pursuing them. Donald sped up, running a red light and barely avoiding a major accident. Horns blared behind them by indignant drivers.

One SUV made it through the red light, but thankfully for the Davenports (unthankfully for other drivers), it _did_ cause an accident, cars colliding together and blocking the intersection, stopping all of the SUVs except the one.

"Honey!" Tasha exclaimed, glancing back at the accident behind them. "People could be hurt!"

Davenport nodded grimly. "I know, and I'm really sorry. But paramedics will help those people. We've got to worry about us right now."

Tasha grew silent, knowing he was right.

It came as a shock to them all when their car was jerked violently; the SUV had caught up to them and was trying to push them off the road. Donald pressed down on the accelerator while glancing worriedly in the rearview mirror. Tasha, Leo, and Bree cried out when the car was rammed again, while Adam and Davenport remained in tense silence.

"We can't outrun them," Donald said.

Suddenly Bree shouted, "Turn right! _TURN RIGHT!_"

Donald jerked the wheel in the direction Bree wanted, and they zoomed down a side street. The family members who weren't driving were turned in their seats to watch behind them and they sighed in relief when the SUV missed the turn, forced to keep going straight.

"Thanks, Bree," Donald said, relaxing a little.

Leo glanced behind them. "Uh, Big D... They're back."

Donald looked in the rearview mirror and saw the SUV just turning the corner, chasing after them again. "They must have done a U-turn," Donald said. It was quiet for a moment, then Donald slammed the steering wheel's rim with his right hand in frustration.

Bree was shocked by her father's behavior, and a little scared. She'd never seen him this mad before. She saw he was trying to hold it together as he weaved in and out of traffic, ran stoplights and stop signs, whipped around corners... She studied her father. Their car chase was taking its toll on him. Donald cared about his family a lot, and to put them at risk like he was by driving recklessly... he was struggling with the task of keeping them safe and getting away.

Bree felt calm wash over her. Donald was trying to be brave for them, but he had no one to be brave for him. Bree leaned forward, her eyes on her father. "You can do this, Dad." Donald risked a glance at her and gave her a tight smile. Bree reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Just do whatever it takes; we'll be okay."

Donald took a deep breath, drawing comfort from Bree's touch, and stepped on the gas. "Pedal to the metal!" he yelled, slightly childish.

Bree chuckled and was starting to lean back when the car jerked forward, rushing to reach new speeds. She was plastered to her seat and then to Leo, who was between her and Adam, when Davenport rounded a corner.

But despite everything, the SUV continued to gain ground, especially once the two cars emptied out onto a long, straight street. Thankfully, there weren't many cars on this street, as they were moving into the residential areas, and most people were still asleep.

When the SUV was only twenty feet away, something strange happened. Another car raced onto the road, having emerged from the side street.

It was a very sleek black 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari, racing after them and pulling alongside the SUV in a matter of seconds and staying there.

The family watched the car and the SUV to see what would happen. Donald, however, had to keep his eyes on the road, but occasionally he'd glance in his side mirrors and his rearview mirror.

For several tense seconds, nothing happened.

But then the Ferrari swerved slightly towards the SUV, and suddenly the SUV was flipping over, it's driver having turned the wheel too sharply to avoid the Ferrari and lost control.

"Oh my gosh!" Tasha squealed. "Donald!"

The sound of the SUV crashing was horrible, the grinding and crumpling of metal sounding even worse knowing that there were people inside the car.

Donald didn't say anything, just kept a tight grip on the wheel, but his thoughts were wild. _Strange,_ he reasoned. _You'd think that FBI agents would have better control over their driving. The Ferrari didn't even touch them._

"It's gaining on us!" Adam cried, looking back to see the Ferrari easily catching up to them.

Donald looked out his window when his peripheral vision caught movement outside. The LaFerrari was pulling alongside, but its tinted windows made it impossible to see the passengers inside. They were racing side-by-side now, the Ferrari on the wrong side of the road.

Donald couldn't help wondering, _What do they want?_ His question was soon answered.

The front seat passenger window rolled down, and a girl leaned out the opening. Donald realized with a start that it was the girl who helped him escape the interrogation room by tossing him the keys to the handcuffs.

Her hair whipped in the wind as she pulled herself out of the car to sit on the window frame. She turned her body, and reached out a hand that held something in it.

"It's a note!" Adam shouted, opening his window.

The Ferrari slowed down until the girl was level with Adam's door. Adam stretched out, reaching for the note, but the Ferrari was lower than their car and just out of reach.

Donald kept track of Adam and the girl by glancing in his side mirror but when he looked up again, his face paled.

There was another car coming. It would crash head-on with the Ferrari if they didn't do something.

"Hurry, Adam!" Bree yelled, spotting the oncoming car.

Adam, who was leaning out the window, saw the car. He swallowed nervously and stretched out more, his face going red with the strain.

Davenport's fingers were drumming anxiously on the steering wheel, his eyes flicking between the mirror and the approaching car, which was only fifty feet away now.

Suddenly, the Ferrari swerved toward the Patrol like it had with the SUV, but Donald was sure that the smaller car wasn't trying to push them off the road.

Adam and the girl's hands met, and Adam grasped the note firmly in his hand. "Got it!" he shouted, the freezing wind whipping his words away.

"Pull him in!" Leo yelled, and he and Bree grabbed a hold of Adam and helped him inside.

The girl slid into the Ferrari and, once she was safely inside, the Ferrari slowed down drastically and swung into the other lane, behind the Patrol.

The other car honked its horn as it passed by, just seconds after the Ferrari moved out of the way.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That driver," Leo said, referring to the Ferrari, "was super good." The others couldn't help but agree, reflecting back on the controlled movements of the LaFerrari.

Donald only wished he'd been able to see the driver, but the other car had been too low compared to theirs. Plus, the girl had been blocking the view to the interior.

"Read the note, Adam," the inventor ordered gently.

"Okay." There were several seconds of silence.

Donald sighed. "Out loud, Adam."

"Ohhh..." Adam laughed. "Okay, um... It says, 'Go to the Holiday Inn on 1501 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Rooms are already booked and paid for you under the name Henry Goodman. Avoid using your real name. Don't withdraw money from your bank accounts. Stay invisible, and stay there. We'll come to you.'"

Tasha looked to her husband. "Can we trust them?"

Donald was silent for a moment. Then, "I think we can. I mean, they haven't led us wrong yet." He pulled the car over onto the side of the road and turned it off. He started scrounging through the car, looking for something. "Honey, look in the glove compartment for me, please."

Tasha obliged. "There's a map and an envelope in here." She pulled them out and handed them to Donald.

Davenport took them and opened the envelope first. He pulled out a wad of cash and another note. The note simply said, _For necessities._

"This is exactly what we need," Donald said, unfolding the map, which turned out to be a map of Washington, D.C. "Adam, where was the hotel again?"

"Uh... 1501 Rhode Island Avenue. Oh, and NW Washington, D.C.," Adam said, reading from his note.

Donald found it on the map, then looked up to find the name of their street. Once he did, he conferred with the map again. "We're not far from there." Donald unlocked the doors and got out, leaving his baffled family inside.

"What are you doing, Donald?" Tasha asked, watching him.

Donald met her gaze. "The FBI know what car we're driving. They'll trace us to the hotel. We'll leave it here then walk to the hotel. Like I said, it's not far." Begrudgingly, the family got out.

"It's such a nice car," Adam grumbled, petting the window once he closed his door. Davenport clapped a hand on Adam's shoulder comfortingly, then used the contact to help steer Adam away.

Together, they all started walking.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Glory Seeker by Immediate Music**

**I hope my chapter was intense enough to fit the music. If it doesn't, oh well. I tried.**

**So? Comments, please :)**

**Oh!**

****IMPORTANT** **

**Has anyone competed in the NaNoWriMo thingy? If you have, what was it like? I'm considering participating in it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**GUESS WHO'S BACK!**

**Wow, it's been a _long_ time hasn't it? Yeah... sorry about that. I was caught up with NaNoWriMo last month, and I just finished this chapter yesterday. And it took me all day today just to find a soundtrack. *Wipes sweat away* Phew, that was tough and frustrating. **

**Anyway, thanks for staying with this story even after all this time. You guys are the best! ****I hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to tell me what you think. ;)**

* * *

I am determined to be cheerful and

happy in whatever situation I may find myself.

For I have learned that the greater part of our

misery or unhappiness is determined not by our

circumstance but by our disposition.

\- Martha Washington

* * *

Bree collapsed onto a bed, sighing with relief.

Thankfully, nothing went wrong on their way to the hotel. The family had reached the Holiday Inn before the roads got too busy. Nobody stopped them or even considered them suspiciously.

Davenport followed the instructions from the note, asking for the rooms reserved for Henry Goodman. A kind man showed them to their rooms, and now Bree was sharing a room with Tasha, the boys boarding together in another.

Bree recalled the man looking a little confused at the lack of their luggage, but he didn't complain once Davenport gave him a twenty for his kindness.

Bree heard the shower running, no doubt it was Tasha. Bree felt like taking a shower herself, but she'd have to wait.

Bree folded her hands on stomach and looked at the ceiling, her brain finally winding down from the adrenaline.

So someone exposed their secret. But who? And why now? They've barely used their bionics at all since the Harrison incident.

Harrison.

Bree sat up. That's who it had to be.

Bree found a notepad and pencil in their room and scribbled down a note for Tasha, letting her know she was just going next door to the boys' room. Then she noticed something.

Her ring was gone.

Bree brought her right hand to her mouth, staring at her left hand, which felt naked without the diamond ring. Tears welled in her eyes. _No,_ she thought, sick to her stomach.

The agents had collected all her jewelry before tossing her in a cell, and she was convinced now the ring wasn't on her hand then. That meant she lost it somewhere back in Mission Creek.

How could she not have noticed? Lance would be devastated when he found out.

Bree gasped. Lance! Was he okay? What did the agents do with him? What did they tell him about her?

So many questions and not enough answers.

Bree dropped her hands to her sides. She felt terrible about the ring, but she had to put it aside, for now. First things first.

She knocked on the boys' room and opened the door when Davenport yelled a muffled, "Come in!"

The guys were crashed on the beds, Donald his own, and Adam and Leo sharing a bed by lying on it widthwise so that their legs hung off one edge.

"We need to talk," Bree said, crossing her arms. "We need to figure out what's going on."

Donald heaved himself up wearily. "I couldn't agree more. Where's Tasha?"

"In the shower."

Donald nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. Look, I'm starved. Why don't you three order room service while I take a shower, too, okay? By the time the food comes, both Tasha and I will be out. Then we'll talk." Bree opened her mouth to object, but Donald fixed her with a stern glare. "We need to do this as a family, Bree. That's the only way we'll get through this."

Bree shut her mouth. She couldn't argue with the wisdom of his words. "Fine," she said with a sigh. "Adam, Leo, get off your butts. We need to order food."

Both boys groaned.

Bree looked surprised. "Well. I never thought I'd see the day when the mention of food would bring a reaction like that out of you two."

Leo groaned again. "It's not the food - it's the work leading up to the food. First we've got to sit up." Both boys struggled into a sitting position.

"Then we gotta stand up," added Adam. The two stood up wearily.

"Then we've got to walk across the room," Leo continued.

Bree watched in amusement as the boys leaned on each other to walk towards her, acting like they were on the last leg of a long journey.

"We can make it!" Leo cried dramatically, gasping and stumbling as he supported Adam's weight. They collapsed to their knees.

"I'm not going to make it," Adam moaned, falling onto his stomach.

"No, Adam! No!" Leo leaned over the older boy, shaking him. He rolled Adam onto his back, cradling the bionic's head in his arms. "You have to make it! You have to!"

Bree had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Leo actually looked close to crying.

Adam reached up and fisted his hand in Leo's shirt. "Promise me you'll continue without me."

"No! Adam, I won't leave you behind!"

Adam swallowed and scrunched up his face as if he was in pain. "You... You have to. Promise me, Leo. _Promise me!_"

Leo wiped away imaginary tears. "I-I promise."

Adam gave a small smile and closed his eyes, his body going lax and his hand releasing its grip on Leo's shirt.

Leo tossed his head back and yelled to the ceiling, "Noooooo!" He reluctantly let go of Adam's body and tried to stand up, but he couldn't. So he crawled. He dug his fingers into the plush carpet and pulled himself forward, yelling in determination. "I... Can... DO THIS!" He crawled and he crawled and he crawled until he couldn't crawl anymore. Literally. He had arrived at Bree's feet. He looked up at his sister and saw her grinning and shaking her head.

"You guys are idiots," she said fondly, reaching down and helping Leo to his feet, then walked over to Adam, helping him up as well. Which proved to be difficult because Adam had actually fallen asleep. Bree didn't blame him. She felt half-asleep on her feet as it was. "Come on, Adam! You gotta wake up!" She tried shaking him, but it was no use. Then she had an idea.

Bree knelt down close to Adam's ear and used her vocal manipulation to sound like this intense gym coach she saw on TV once. "YOU GET YOUR BUTT OFF THAT FLOOR AND GIVE ME TWENTY PUSH-UPS ON THE DOUBLE!" she shouted in his ear. Adam shot up with a gasp and started doing push-ups before he even realized what he was doing, but once he did, he stopped and glared at Bree who snickered unashamedly.

"Not funny," he whined, pushing himself into a standing position, Bree rising with him.

"Oh, trust me, it was totally funny."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Let's just order the food."

Bree laughed. "That's what I was trying to get you guys to do before you goofballs started going all _Return of the King_ on me."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, after they ordered the food, there was a knock on their hotel room's door. Adam went to the door and looked through the peephole, opening the door once he was sure it was the room service.

"Food is served," said the attendant, wheeling in the cart with covered platters on top.

"Thank you, sir," Adam said, giving the attendant a ten dollar bill. The man took the money and left after bowing his head in gratitude.

Tasha and Donald were both done with their showers by then, and the whole family sat down at the table in the boys' room, dishing out food.

"So," Donald started, talking around the food he stuffed in his mouth. "Let's begin with what we know."

"I know we're definitely not in California anymore, Todo," Leo said with a snort, digging into his food.

"Great powers of observation there," Bree said mockingly, feigning a smile and patting her younger brother on the shoulder. "You should join the bird watching club."

Leo glared, sticking his tongue out at her.

"We're in Washington, D.C.," Tasha continued, ignoring her children. "We just escaped the FBI headquarters. And, of course, we were only there because our secret somehow got out."

Donald nodded. "This is a very bad situation. We're basically broke, and unless we get this situation resolved without getting caught by the FBI, we'll be working at McDonalds with fake IDs."

Adam cheered. "Yes! I've always wanted to work at Mickey Ds!"

"And I've always wanted to shove you off a bridge," Bree muttered.

Donald fixed his daughter with a stern glare. "Bree, stay calm. We-"

Bree stood up abruptly, knocking her chair over with a thud. "Stay calm?! _Stay calm?!_ We just lost our home! Our money, our friends, our..." Bree choked up, looking down at her ringless finger. "...Our family."

Tasha stood up then, her face twisted in sadness. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry you lost your ring. We'll get through this, and we'll get you back to Lance." She put her arm around the girl's shoulders, pulling her close.

"Yeah? And what am I supposed to say to Lance if we do get back? 'Oh, hi, Lance! It's good to see you! Sorry I was gone for so long - I was abducted by the FBI because they found out about my bionic secret and wanted to use me as a lab rat.'"

Tasha looked sheepish as she said, "Welll... Maybe not in so many words, but... yes."

Bree pulled away from Tasha, fixing her chair and sitting down. "Let's face it. Our lives are over."

Donald shook his head adamantly. "No, uh-uh. I refuse to accept that! We will get back home, Bree. We just need to get to the bottom of us. We need to figure out who leaked our secret."

"Isn't obvious?" Leo said after taking a bite of his sandwich.

Tasha sighed exasperatedly. "Doesn't anyone have manners around here anymore?"

Leo continued on, ignoring her. "It's got to be Harrison. I mean, he's the only one who would have motive to. He wants to see your life ruined, Dad."

Donald thought about it, then shook his head. "I don't know. Harrison was sent to the loony bin. The government wouldn't believe a crazy like him."

"Not unless he had proof," Adam stated simply, continuing to eat, completely unaware of the shocked looks on everybody's faces.

"That's it!" Leo exclaimed. "He must have had proof somewhere."

Davenport furrowed his brow. "But I thought I destroyed all the evidence he had on us."

Leo frowned. "He must have had a backup server containing our files somewhere."

"Yeah, okay," Donald said, beginning to catch on. "He must've called the feds, claiming to have information, and asked them to meet him for an interview."

"Right!" Adam exclaimed, jumping in. "What he must have done was give them the location of the backup server, and baddabing baddaboom - we're toast."

"Exactly," Donald cried, pointing a finger at Adam. "What we need to do is find where the feds keep the files and destroy them, this time for good."

"That's not going to be easy," Bree said, raining on their parade. "We still don't have our gear or your lab. How are we supposed to do this? It's not like we can just walk into the building and ask for the files."

"You're right, Bree." Donald frowned, stumped.

"What about those people who helped us?" Tasha asked. "Maybe they can help."

"That's true," Donald agreed.

"But can we trust them?" Leo asked. "I mean - we don't even know who they are."

"That's not exactly true..." Donald replied, thinking back. "Look, I knew this guy a while ago. He knew that I was experimenting with bionic technology- now, before you go pointing fingers at him, let me just say that he is one of the good guys. Anyway, he fully funded it and became one of my closest friends."

"We all know how the last one turned out," Leo muttered to Bree. "What makes this one any different?"

Unfortunately for Leo, Davenport overheard. "Look, I trust this guy with my life. We may have grown apart over the years, but we still keep in touch every now and then. He knows what you guys can do, he knows about _what_ you do. Or used to do. Anyway, I say all this to say this: He said that if I ever was in trouble, he'd be there to help."

"Hold up," Leo interrupted. "If it is this guy, then how did he know we were in trouble? You haven't even contacted him, right?"

"Right. But this guy has _connections_, Leo. It wouldn't be surprising if one of his contacts worked for the FBI. And he certainly has enough connections and tech to spring us out of that building."

"But if he has so much tech and "connections," don't you think he would've already thought to find our files and destroy them, since he's so nice and all?"

Adam groaned. "Leo, are you trying to make this situation more hopeless than it already is?"

"No!" Leo snapped. "I just don't think it's him! I mean, he almost sounds too good to be true. We _still_ don't know his name!"

Donald rolled his eyes. "His name is Patrick Cass, okay? Trust me, Leo, he's one of the good guys. Look, if all the bullies from my past are coming back, than why can't my friends come too?"

It wasn't until he took in all their frozen postures and suspicious glances that he realized he'd said something wrong.

"Wait... _all_?" Leo asked, studying his father. "Isn't it just Harrison?"

Donald paused, mind momentarily frozen. Then he shook himself and said, "Right. But it just feels like everything's crashing down on me, just like it did in high school. Time and luck were always against me, my other bullies besides Harrison."

"It's okay, Dad," Adam said, clapping Donald on the shoulder. "You got us now."

Donald smiled gratefully, but he could tell Leo wasn't convinced... just placated for now. "Oh, and one more thing. In the note, Patrick said he'll be coming to us, so be prepared." He saw his family exchange tired looks. "Why don't we all go to bed?" he suggested, standing up. Everyone else agreed, the women saying their goodbyes to the men and then leaving to go to their room.

Adam went over to the windows and shut the blinds, blocking out the morning sunlight. "Wow, it's been a long night," he sighed, flopping onto his half of his bed, Leo on the other.

"No kidding," Leo muttered, throwing a hand over his eyes. "This is not how I imagined junior year."

Donald listened to his boys with a heavy heart. This wasn't how he imagined it either, he thought, climbing under the covers of his own bed.

* * *

The next time Bree awoke, it was dark.

Tasha was still snoring soundly on the bed next to hers.

Something woke Bree from her peaceful sleep, but she didn't know what.

For several minutes, she just lied on her bed, listening. She heard nothing out of the ordinary. But just as she was about to go to sleep, she heard it.

The shuffle.

It was so quiet that Bree thought her mind was tricking her, but there was no mistaking the sound of a shoe accidentally sliding along the carpet. Her bionic training kicked in, and she became acutely aware of the fact that there was someone else in the room. Someone not welcome.

Bree sat up, facing the darkness. "I know you're there," she said bravely, though her heart was beginning to pound with growing fear. "Who are you?"

For several anxious seconds, she waited. And waited. Just when she was about to believe that her mind really did make up that shuffle, she saw movement in the dark. And then a figure stepped into the moonlight that slanted through the blinds.

For a moment, Bree was frozen. "Chase?" she whispered, hardly daring to believe her eyes. Could it really be him?

The figure laughed, cold and harsh. "Guess again, sweetheart."

And then she was shot.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: The Feeling of Losing Everything by Archive.**

**Hehehe, ohhh cliffhangers... The world would be boring without them.**

**Again, sorry for not updating for a while. But have faith in me; I won't give up on this story. I'm determined to see it through.**

**Oh! And please review. I love hearing your feedback. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Merry Christmas, everybody! Hope you guys had a wonderful day with family and friends. **

**Here's chapter six. Consider it my Christmas gift to you.**

**The quote doesn't particularly pertain to this chapter. It's more of a forewarning. **

* * *

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest

fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our

light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

\- Marianna Williamson

* * *

He could feel it, squirming in his chest.

Its chilling presence was always there, reminding him of what he could become if he just let it win.

But he wouldn't let it win. As tempting as it was, he wouldn't - couldn't - let it win, lest he lose every sense of humanity he had.

So the darkness just sat there, within his chest, pouting. It was always there, tainting his heart just enough to make his motives questionable.

For years, it'd been easy to ignore, squashing it down, pushing it away. He'd never noticed it before, when he was younger, but now that he looked back, he could remember feeling its presence - though, it had been an infantile version of the squirming ribbon he could feel now.

It made sense, he had thought after making that discovery. It made sense why he was always just a little different from others. He hadn't known why then, just that he was. But now he understood. That seed of darkness had always been there, growing as he grew, but lying dormant until the ideal situation that would reveal its presence.

Now that he knew it was there, it was a constant struggle to not listen to its whispers. It tempted him to handle situations a different way - a darker, scarier way. It wasn't like him, he kept telling himself. He'd never listen to the whispers.

Yet... he could feel himself changing. Just knowing it was there, constantly feeling its presence... he was unconsciously molding himself around it. It wasn't until he would catch himself doing or thinking something he never used to do or think that he would realize how much he'd changed.

And it scared him.

There weren't a lot of things that could scare him, but losing himself to someone he didn't want to become was the biggest one.

And standing in the middle of an overturned, chaotic, but empty room, he was having a really, really hard time suppressing the dark parasite wriggling in his chest. It was tempting now more than ever to just give in.

"The other room's empty too," a female voice said behind him.

His dark eyes surveyed the broken room, taking in the crumpled bed sheets, the broken glass, the upturned chairs and table...

"They're not here," he said, turning around on the spot, taking in everything. "Someone took them."

"No mystery as to who," she grumbled, watching him as he continued to study the room. "He's never going to stop unless you do something."

He knew she was right. He wasn't going to ignore this any longer. "He's gone too far this time," he said, looking out the window. Outside, snow flurries fell, glistening under the streetlights.

"He'll be waiting for us, you know," she said, taking small steps towards him.

"He'll be waiting for _me_," he corrected, still not turning to face her. "You're not coming with me."

"_Seriously?_" she deadpanned, her face mirroring the surprise she felt. "You're actually going to pull that one on me? I'm not some fragile little girl you need to protect."

"I know that," he snapped. "That's not why I'm sidelining you. This is _my_ fight, and _I_ need to finish it."

"But you're my closest friend," she argued, "and I care for you - _a lot_. So that makes it my fight too."

"If I were your closest friend, you'd listen to me and obey my wish." It didn't escape either of their attention that the last two words sounded exactly like another phrase, except it was lacking just one word.

"You mean, like your _last_ wish?" she challenged, never one to let things slip past. "Is that it? You're expecting this to be your last epic battle that may end up costing you your life - and you think I'll be content to just sit back and let you risk your life?"

"No," he said, finally turning towards her. "I knew you wouldn't just stay behind. That's why I'm giving you an assignment."

"You can't possibly expect me to work on an assignment while you march towards your death!" Her eyes were wide with hurt and anger.

"Yes, I do," he said. "Because you'll be helping me."

"What? How?"

"I need you to break into the FBI, find Davenport's files, and delete them. Erase them. Don't close shop until you're absolutely positive they're gone for good."

"No. I won't do it," she said, shaking her head furiously.

"Hey," he said softly, placing his hand under her chin lightly. Reflexively, she stopped shaking her head to look at him with watery eyes. "I'll be okay, I promise. But I need you to do this for me. I need you to get the FBI off their backs. I want to bring them home, but that's not possible with all the evidence the FBI has against them."

She hesitated studying his face.

"Please," he whispered, his gaze desperate.

She bit her lip, then nodded in consent, as much as she hated to. His face split into a grin, and for just a moment, the darkness in his chest was crushed by the overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief flooding his heart.

He leaned down and kissed her on the crown of her head, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. "Go get 'em, Sly," he teased, using the nickname he always spoke lightly but a name that filled her with warmth and gave her stomach butterflies.

He pulled away and brushed past her, heading for the door.

"Hey," she called, whipping around to face him. He turned back, staring at her expectantly. Suddenly shy, she said weakly, "Come back safe, okay?"

He tossed her a cocky smirk. "Don't I always?"

Then he was gone, leaving her standing alone in a broken room, knees weak and heart racing. Sighing, she blew her bangs out of her eyes with a puff of air before turning to survey the mess around her.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: My Melancholy by Vadim Kiselev**

**Please review :) I love hearing your responses.**


	7. Chapter 7

**You guys have every right to be mad at me. I haven't posted in so long and all I have to offer today is a short chapter. I am really, really sorry.**

**But, on the good side, I have this story all planned out. Now, all is left is to write it. Just remember this - I will never give up on this story. One way or another, I will finish it.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter. :)**

* * *

Love is when the other person's happiness

is more important than your own.

-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

* * *

Sly muttered under her breath as she walked, something about pain-in-the-neck self-sacrificing idiots and psychotic men that kidnapped families. Her gait was fast and impatient, and for a few seconds she broke into a rapid jog as she crossed a street. Ducking into an old apartment building, she ascended two flights of stairs, her frustration propelling her forward.

Still ranting quietly, she stopped in front of a door and jammed her key into the lock, swinging the door open. She entered the dark room, but it didn't stay dark for long. Light revealed what lay in the room, which was concealed from any curious eyes when Sly shut the door behind her. Several computers were set up as a control center in the living room, with one swivel computer chair to glide back and forth between them.

Flinging the keys on a counter, she plopped down in the chair with an angry huff and began typing rapidly on a keyboard, just one of many.

"'I have an assignment for you,' he says. 'You'll be helping me,' he says," growled Sly, furiously tapping down on the keys. "Stupid _idiot_, going out there and getting himself killed while I'm held up in this dump."

It wasn't that she doubted his abilities - quite the contrary. In fact, she admired him. But it was this hero worship that led her to be considerably worried about him.

She wasn't blind; she saw how much he hurt inside. She would watch him out of the corner of her eyes and sometimes catch a glimpse of his faraway look or glance over to see him absently rub his left knee, which she knew still bothered him at times (even if he never actually _said_ that).

They'd been friends for almost two years, and he still hadn't told her what happened that had damaged him so much. Sure, she knew all about his family, all his quirks, all his likes and dislikes, all his pet peeves... but she knew he was keeping a secret from her. It frustrated her to no end, because she felt that by keeping something from her, he was preventing her from knowing him, _really_ knowing him.

He suffered from nightmares, every night. Sometimes they were so terrible he woke up screaming. He never told her what they were about.

He watched the world around him with dark eyes that had seen too much. He never told her what.

He never told her the reason why he never tells her anything.

When she tries to comfort him after a particularly hard night, he brushes her off with a dazzling smile and a light, "I'm okay," that were betrayed by his haunted eyes and his hair that was plastered to his head by sweat.

But despite all this, she still admired him. He kept going, never let anything slow him down. Yet, his eyes were permanently shadowed by the dark rings from the lack of sleep. And she saw _it_, no matter how hard he tried to hide _it_ from her.

It pained her to see him in so much agony, tortured by something he wouldn't let her see. It was eating him from the inside out, and all she wanted to do was heal him before it was too late. She wanted to save him from _it_ \- the darkness he tried to hide from her.

She knew it was there though, had known for a while. She saw how it was slowly changing him, no matter how much he was fighting it. After fights they were sometimes forced to partake in so they could survive, she would glance over at him once the last man dropped. And she would see _it_, in his eyes - a sick, twisted glint, as if he enjoyed inflicting pain - as he surveyed the unconscious bodies around him. Then he would meet her gaze, and the scary light in his eyes would fade away, replaced by surprise, then regret.

She _hated_ it.

She wanted to save him from the dark she was afraid would someday completely take over. She didn't want to lose her friend.

But she couldn't save him if he wouldn't let her in. She knew he was trying to protect her from something and she knew _he_ knew that the cost of protecting her was at the expense of his own health, his own sanity. Yet he still did it!

Sly typed harder on her keyboard in anger as she broke through another firewall of the FBI database.

He was _so stupid_ because he didn't see that she was willing to bear his suffering, his burden. He was afraid that the poison infecting his heart would infect hers, too. What he didn't realize was that she could be the antidote to his poison.

He didn't realize a lot of things.

With a humorless snort, Sly punched a key extra hard in her frustration.

He didn't see how much she adored him, how much she looked up to him. He didn't see the way she was always by his side when he needed her to be, even if he didn't ask for her help. He never noticed how many times she looked at him with a hopeful expression, silently pleading with him to see... to see that she felt stronger feelings for him than if he was just her friend. But... But he never did.

She knew that seeing him suffer hurt more than even if she were being tortured. She reveled in every breath he took, and melted at every laugh he made. So wasn't it reasonable that her greatest mission was to save him?

One of these days, he would see. He would see that she was strong enough to shoulder his troubles, his fears.

Someday, he would see _her_.

Someday, she would be the light in his darkness, more than just his friend. Someday, he would open up to her, and they would share his burden. She would gladly take his nightmares if it meant he got at least one peaceful night of sleep.

Sly broke through the FBI's last defense and began searching for the files he asked her to find and destroy. When she finally found them, she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"This can't be right," she murmured, but as she continued to scroll down the files, the less confused and more shocked she became. _This... this isn't__-_ Her thoughts were cut off when her screen suddenly went black. Startled, she froze.

_This won't be good..._

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Give Unto Me by Evanescene. **

**I tried really hard to match this chapter to the song, so please let me know how I did. **

**And please let me know how this chapter was. Feedback is always appreciated. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Yay! Chapter eight! Sorry it's another short chapter. But at least it's here, and I hope you guys enjoy it. Chapter nine should (hopefully) be longer.**

* * *

There are no secrets that time does not reveal.

-Jean Racine

* * *

"Why us? Why do we always somehow get wound up with _sick psychopaths?!_" Bree shouted the last two words at the one way mirror, knowing that someone had to be watching her.

She marched right up to the glass and gave her best glare even though she probably looked like a fool trying to glare at someone that she couldn't see.

"You're _twisted_," she snarled. She jumped in surprise when the door swung open.

"I know," _he_ said, grinning. _He_ just became mortal enemy number one.

"Let us go," Bree warned. "Or-"

"Or what?" he interjected, his face smug. "You're going to hurt me? Kill me? Come on, we both know you don't have it in you to kill."

Bree glowered, her threat ruined. Changing tactics, she asked, "Where are my brothers and parents?"

"In due time," he said, casually pacing the cell.

Bree huffed, rolling her eyes. "What do you want with us?"

"I can't tell you that either. Not yet."

"Are you ever going to give me a straight answer?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"You're _insane_."

"I thought we established this already."

"Not hardly. I could come up with some more colorful adjectives for you."

"Oh, really? Do tell."

Bree smirked. "Perverted, warped, demented, psycho, lunatic, mental-" she inhaled "-unhinged, maniacal, deranged, cracked-"

"Demoniac?" he suggested helpfully, and Bree lost her train of thought, glaring at him.

"Let me give you just a little more insight to my character," he said, his good nature all but disappeared. "I am brutal. I am merciless. I'm vengeful, hateful, heartless, ruthless, vicious, bitter." With each word, he took a step closer to Bree.

"I'm spiteful."

"Wicked," Bree whispered.

"Callous."

"Sadistic."

"Unrelenting."

"Monstrous."

He had backed Bree into the wall, staring down at her with hard eyes, but he suddenly paused. "You know, out of everything, that word fits me best." He backed away, spreading his arms wide. "I'm a _monster_, but you know what? So are _you_."

"I am nothing like you!" Bree spat.

He lowered his arms. "You're right. But we're all monsters, Bree. Tell me, how many times have you verbally abused your brothers? Hmm?"

Bree blinked. "How did you-"

"How many times did you put them down? How many times did you act better than them? How many times did you disobey your father?"

"Stop it!" Bree shouted, but she didn't feel relieved when he actually listened. For a while, it was silent.

Then he spoke again. "Can't face the truth?"

"I faced the truth a long time ago!" she hissed, her eyes filled with fire. "We all may be monsters, but at least I changed into a better one. I learned to cherish my brothers and father."

He raised an eyebrow at that, crossing his arms. "Oh? And you still cherished your father even _after _you found out he was lying about Damiana?"

The mention of her dead little sister's name was a like a punch to the gut. "Don't you _dare _talk about her!" Bree said, hating that her little sister's beautiful name rolled off the lips of the psychopath in front of her.

The man raised his hands in a placating gesture, letting her win just that once. "But would you still love your father if you found out he was hiding something big, something important?"

"He said he had no more lies," Bree stated, straightening. "And I believe him."

"Well, you shouldn't!" the man shouted. Bree blinked at the outburst as he continued. "Donald is so full of lies! It comes as naturally to him as breathing."

"You're wrong," Bree challenged.

Seeing that he wouldn't sway her at the moment, he sighed. "You'll see," he said, turning towards the door. Opening it, he stepped out, only to lean back in. "Oh, and Bree?"

Bree gave him an exasperated and expectant glare to continue.

He smirked. "I'm the worst kind of monster." And then he was gone.

* * *

The man seethed the entire time it took him to walk from one cell to another. Well, he liked to think he _prowled_ instead of walked. Walking was for amateurs.

_Stupid girl_, he growled in his mind. _She's so blind and trusting. She'll soon see just how wrong she is._

He had barely turned the knob to the next cell before he sent it crashing open with a violent kick.

The room's sole occupant jumped at the noise and whirled to face him. "What do you want with us, you sicko?!" his prisoner demanded.

He groaned and shut the door with a slam once he'd stepped inside. "Oh, _spare me_, Davenport. I've already had enough attitude from Bree."

Donald Davenport's face paled, only to be filled with rage. "You leave my daughter alone!"

"You know, I would, but there is just one _teeny tiny_ thing wrong with that sentence." He folded his arms and watched as understanding dawned on the other man's face.

"You're here for them," the inventor whispered.

"Oh, believe me, I'm here for you too," he assured Davenport, as if that would make the situation better.

"You can't have them!" Donald said, taking a step forward. "If you lay one_. Finger. _On _my_ children, I swear I w-"

The other man threw his hands in the air in exasperation, interrupting Donald's threat. "What is it with you people? Why do you _insist _on making empty threats? I know you don't have it in you to kill, Donald, just like your daughter. You could have pulled the trigger seventeen years ago..." He gave the inventor a knowing smile. "But you didn't. You let me live - out of the kindness of your big heart. Aw." He placed his hands over his own heart and gave a mocking pout.

"It's a decision I'm starting to regret," Donald muttered, glaring at his captor, who's jeering smile fell away to be replaced by a look of carefully restrained fury.

"Oh, I know. And it's my intention to make sure you'll regret it tenfold. And even then I still won't stop." A small, secretive smile crept onto his face.

"Don't you touch them," Donald warned, his voice growing thick. He launched himself at the other man. "Don't you _dare!_"

The fight was quick, not just because it was over in just a few seconds, but also because both men were a blur of flying fists and feet. Like expert assassins they danced around the room, both having to alternately switch between offense and defense.

Then Donald was down, shaking his head against the spots that flew in front of his eyes. His captor stood over him, ignoring his throbbing hand from punching the inventor solidly in the jaw.

"You have no right to tell me what to do," the man hissed. "You're _my _prisoner, last I checked. You're powerless here."

"That doesn't mean I won't fight you every chance I get," Donald rasped, still too dazed to get up.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," the other man said, spreading his arms and giving a mocking bow. "I doubt you'll fight me very long, though. I know you, Donald. You'll do anything to save your family."

"You leave them alone," Donald demanded, but it was softened by the pleading in his tone, tears starting to build. "They never did anything to you."

"You're right! But those bionics are _mine_, and because of you, they'll be the ones to suffer for what you did."

"No, please, no." Despite his efforts to keep them in, a few rebellious tears slipped down his face, and he struggled to get up. "No!"

Their captor backed away, towards the door. "It's the end, Donny!"

Donald was finally on his feet, but he staggered, dizzy. "No! Leave them alone! _Please!_"

The door slammed shut, leaving Donald alone in the room.

Donald ran his hands through his hair, gripping the short strands until pain thrummed in his skull. Then he screamed.

"_Douglas!_"

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: The End by Evanescene.**

**Whoa, so the secret is now out! Well, at least one of them. Please be aware that the plot of Unearthed was thought up before Douglas switched sides, so don't expect any Mr. Nice Guy acts from him. I planned for him to be evil, and so evil he will stay. Although, I do like the turn he took on the show. I like the dynamic he and Donald now have.**

**So, please let me know what you guys think! I love your feedback, as always :) See you guys next chapter! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Whelp, here it is. Chapter nine. It's a biggy. I'm happy to announce that things are picking up around here.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**...I know I did. *evil laughter***

* * *

When I looked around I saw none and heard of none

like me. Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth from which

all men fled and whom all men disowned?

-Frankenstein

* * *

"Sir."

Douglas didn't turn at the call. He sat in his chair, watching something on his tablet.

The agent shifted uneasily, then continued. "We have an intruder."

Douglas smiled. "I know."

"Well... What do you want us to do?"

Douglas finally turned around, facing his agent. "Absolutely nothing."

He glanced down at the screen, at the figure that was darting from shadow to shadow on his roof.

"It's him." He looked up at the other man. "Let's hold off on the welcoming committee for now. I don't want to get off on the wrong foot."

The agent nodded and left to relay Douglas's orders.

Douglas turned back to the screen with a gleeful look, rubbing his chin in carefully contained excitement. "Finally."

* * *

Bree was dying from boredom.

You'd think she would be afraid, being held in an unknown place for unknown reasons, but no.

She almost wished the maniac would come back. At least she'd have _something_ to distract herself from the boring white walls and the boring silence.

That was the worst - the silence. Her breathing was the loudest thing in the room as she sat on the floor against the wall facing the door. When she moved, it was like thunder. Well, not really, but it was loud.

So that was why she jumped a mile high when the door suddenly clicked open, the sound so unexpected and loud. A moment later, a figure slipped in, dressed in black.

Bree's mouth hung open and she climbed to her feet. "You," she whispered, suddenly numb. The person tossed her a smirk - _how dare he?_ \- and she lost it.

"You!" she yelled and threw herself at him, her fist flying. He ducked, but she pressed on, years of training kicking in. Her punches and kicks were fueled by years of suppressed anger and hurt but she couldn't land a solid hit.

"Bree, come on! Cut it out!" Her victim was entirely on defense, blocking her fists and feet and shoving her back only for her to lunge at him again.

"Don't tell me cut it out!" she snapped, pausing to catch her breath. "You deserve to lose a few teeth for what you did!" Suddenly her feet were knocked out from under her and she found herself on her back as the figure stood from the leg sweep he'd just performed.

She startled at the amount of anger in his eyes and how dark his expression was. But then his eyes widened and the scary glint in his gaze faded away, his face frowning apologetically. "You're still mad about that?" he asked.

"Yes! I am!" She stood, brushing herself off. Tears began to blur her vision. "Do you know how much you hurt us?" She hated the fact that her voice shook. Why did she always cry?

"Look, I'm sorry! I-"

Bree cut him off when she pulled him into a fierce hug. "Chase, I can't believe it's you," she whispered, relief flooding her heart to be holding her baby brother again. She almost frowned when Chase didn't return the hug but then she felt his arms wrap around her, squeezing just as tightly. For several seconds, they held onto each other, then Bree pushed away, standing back to look over her brother.

She almost couldn't believe it. The last time she saw her brother, he was sixteen. He was young and still so innocent. But the eighteen-year-old standing before her was nothing like that. His eyes were too serious and haunted and shadowed by dark rings. He no longer gave off the sense of innocence.. The changes scared her, but she tried to push them out of her mind and forced a smile.

"You've gotten taller!" she commented.

Chase ducked his head, chuckling. "Yeah, an inch or two."

"More like three or four." Besides the height, she noticed several other physical changes. He was leaner than she remembered, and tan too. His hair had grown longer, but not enough that he couldn't still spike it. "Where have you been?" she asked, hurt resurfacing. "What did you do?"

Chase's expression closed off and he looked away, shrugging. "I had some things to sort out."

Bree felt the anger coming back too. "Yeah? And did you 'sort them out'?"

"Look, we don't have time for this. We need t-"

"No!" Bree interrupted, punching Chase in the shoulder. "You're going to tell me! You never came back, never called, never wrote. We were so worried about you, Chase!" She saw the guilt cross his face, but she ignored it. "Why, Chase? What happened?"

"I lost a sister, that's what happened," he hissed, fury shining in his eyes. "A _sister_, Bree."

Bree felt the tears coming back at the mention of Damia. "Don't you pin this on her," she said, pointing at Chase. "Don't you dare. You think losing her was hard? I lost a sister _and_ a brother!"

Chase's brows furrowed and the anger died down enough for her to see the worry in his eyes. "Wh-"

"You, you idiot!" she cried, shoving him in the chest. "Do you know how much it hurt to lose you too?"

"But I didn't die!" he argued, gesturing to himself.

"But you weren't there, either!" she sobbed. "You _left us_."

She studied his expression, expecting to see remorse but not finding any. Instead, his features were blank, save for the anger in his eyes.

"It was for the best," he said, turning away.

Bree's mouth gaped, shocked. "Wha- How can you say that? Are you that selfish?!"

Chase whirled around to face her and she actually backed away at the murderous look on his face. "I'm _dangerous_, Bree! Something-" he raised his hands to his chest, pointing at himself "-something's _wrong_ with me. I-I can feel it," he hissed. "You guys weren't safe."

"So you left?" Bree asked, incredulous.

Chase made a sound of exasperation and turned away, then turned back. "I don't expect you to understand. But now is not the time. I came to get you out of here." He went over to the open door and gestured to the hallway beyond. "Are you coming or not?"

Bree crossed her arms, glaring at him. Then she sighed and stormed through the opening. When she passed him, she said, "This isn't over."

Chase didn't respond, shutting the door quietly behind her and taking the lead. "I'm surprised your screaming didn't bring the guards down on us," he muttered.

Bree glanced at him sharply. "Yeah? Well I wasn't the only one screaming."

Chase met her gaze and they glared at each other. Then Chase broke away and walked faster. "Let's just get the others."

Bree lifted her chin. "Fine by me." Underneath her anger, she felt sadness. She never imagined their reunion like this. She always thought she and the others would be sitting at home, and Chase would come walking through the front door - unhurt and unchanged.

Not every dream comes true.

* * *

The other reunions were surprisingly easy.

Adam simply enveloped his little brother in a crushing hug and followed him and Bree to rescue the others.

They rescued Tasha and Leo next, both surprised and pleased to see Chase again. Tasha embraced him with tears shining in her eyes, and Leo and Chase clasped hands and pulled each other into a one-armed hug, clapping each other on the back.

They found Donald last, Chase leading the way.

Bree noticed that he didn't open the door first, like he did with everyone else. But it didn't seem that obvious because Tasha rushed forward and turned the handle.

"Donald!" she gasped, and she hugged her husband tightly, the inventor gathering her in his arms (yes, there was a lot of hugging going on).

"Tasha!" Donald pulled away and smiled at her, but then his eyebrows knit in confusion. "How'd you get away?"

Tasha grinned then stepped aside, looking to the door. Adam, Bree, and Leo did the same, revealing Chase, who was suddenly very fascinated with the white-tiled floor.

Donald's face paled in shock as he stared at his son... this young man standing before him. He let go of Tasha to slowly approach the youngest bionic.

Chase scuffed his feet on the floor, his hands tucked into his pockets. It frustrated him how guilty Davenport made him feel just by being near him. He was afraid to face him.

_Why are you afraid, you idiot?_ a traitorous voice whispered in his mind. _You have no ne__-_

Chase frowned and shoved the voice away. A sound before him made him look up just as Donald's arms wrapped around him and pulled him close. For a moment, surprise held him still, then he returned the embrace.

It was as if the two years of missing his father came back all at once, and he found himself clinging tightly to Donald. He didn't cry though, even when he just wanted to give in and be a little boy again, safe and sheltered in the man's arms.

_Grow up_, that voice hissed. _You're not a little boy anymore. You don't need them__-_

Chase pushed himself away to shut up the voice, and he knew he surprised Donald. But he couldn't think about that now.

"We need to go," he said, pulling away from Donald and walking down the hall. He'd memorized the schematics for the building and-

Chase turned a corner and froze.

Oh. Crap.

Dozens of lasers were trained on his chest, while dozens of men armed to the teeth aimed guns at him and his family, who joined him around the corner and stopped.

Chase looked back the way they came and saw just as many men closing off their only escape.

Chase let out a huff of frustration, looking ahead again.

Crap.

* * *

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?"

Chase turned at the sound of the sneering voice. His hands were cuffed behind his back, like the rest of his family who were being escorted in behind him. He shrugged off the hand gripping his arm with a glare at his "bodyguard" as he did.

"Chase, it's nice to see you again." Chase rolled his eyes at the annoying voice, which belonged to the man who was sitting on a throne-like chair at the short end of a reasonably large rectangular room.

It was Donald's voice, though, that surprised Chase.

"Wait... Again?" Chase glanced back at the inventor to see his eyes flicking between him and the other man before finally settling on Chase. "You _know_ Douglas?"

"Chase and I had... business," Douglas said, standing up and approaching them. He stopped several feet in front of the youngest bionic, both glaring at each other and both not wanting to break away first. "Still do."

Chase snorted. "No, we don't."

Douglas's expression darkened for the briefest of moments, then he smiled. "It doesn't matter anyway. I always get what I want." There were several countertops of built-in computers, much like the ones in Donald's lab, and Douglas moved behind on of them. He made a gesture with his hand and the men escorting his family manhandled them to the center of the room, inside a circle of small gadgets that were placed on the floor at even intervals. A glance upward revealed a similar circle.

His family made sounds of protest and struggled to get away but none of them could. A heavy hand landed on Chase's shoulder, effectively holding him in place.

No sooner had the men left the ring of strange devices did Douglas tap something on the countertop, and a ring of lasers sealed his family in from ceiling to floor, the bars stretching from their respective projectors on the ceiling to the receivers on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Chase asked, and somewhere deep inside, he flinched at the lack of emotion in his voice. But he couldn't worry about that right now.

Douglas glanced at him and smiled. "I want your family to see this without interrupting."

His gut sank, and chills wracked his body.

_Weakling. Do it now._

He moved, catching the man guarding him with an uppercut, his neck snapping back with the force of his blow. Also, it could have something to do with his metal fist. Who knew.

As the man fell back - unconscious or dead, it didn't matter - Chase stared at Douglas with his expression blank save for a small frown. The metal coating his right hand slid off his skin and morphed into the handcuffs that had previously been used to restrain him.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Chase asked, looking down at the cuffs that he rolled over in his hand. His voice was detached, but inside, he could feel the darkness wriggling faster in his chest.

For once - he didn't try to suppress it.

He looked up at Douglas, who was trying to act indifferent, but Chase could see the fear in his eyes.

He walked towards the man, holding the cuffs away from him and looking at them again. "It's funny how my sister controlled electricity and I control the properties of metal." He looked up at Douglas, who took a step back for every step Chase took forward. "Metals are great conductors of electricity. Together, Damia and I would have been unstoppable. Alone..." Chase shrugged, a small, dark smirk stealing over his face. "We can still rip monsters like you apart."

The handcuffs melted in his hand and he launched the blob of shimmering metal at Douglas, who ducked behind his master computer system.

"Chase! No!"

Chase ignored Bree, suddenly finding himself surrounded by Douglas's men. He stood calmly in their circle.

Then the men were on their knees around him, screaming in pain and clutching their heads. Chase had one hand raised and clenched tightly, staring at the men with hatred. He squeezed his fist and the men's cries reach a new level. Some were puking, some were convulsing on the floor, some were digging at their brains.

With a twist of his wrist, the screams were cut off. The men were strewn on the floor around him, their eyes open and unseeing. The cause of death wasn't broken necks... but ruptured blood vessels in the brain.

Chase turned to see his family staring at him in horror, but he couldn't feel guilty. Not yet.

_You're doing this for them._ He was beginning to like that voice whispering in his mind.

_You're doing it to end this._ He flicked his hand and all the cuffs fell off of his family's wrists and gathered in one liquid mass, sliding over to him on the floor.

_You can't do that if you're weak._ He stepped over the bodies of the men he'd murdered in cold blood, but he could care less about them.

_You need to be strong for them._ Why didn't he listen to this voice before? Maybe if he had, his family wouldn't be in this mess. He'd checked up on them occasionally. They had a good life going. He wished they hadn't been dragged into this again.

_You know what you need to do._ He could hear his family calling him back, but he ignored them. His eyes were focused on Douglas, who was backing away, one arm hidden behind his back.

_You've known for a while._ Of course, like an idiot, he'd tried to disregard the obvious. The blob of metal floated up to his hand, molding into a smooth javelin.

_Do it._ He raised his hand holding the javelin, pulling back his arm.

_Do it._ The screams of his family fell on deaf ears.

_DO IT._ He whipped his arm forward, his hand releasing the metal rod and-

And scowled.

Douglas produced a rusted pipe, which he conveniently had lying around for him to grab. He deflected Chase's metal rod with surprising speed, the javelin landing on the floor with a loud _clang_.

He smiled at Chase. "Is that all you got?"

Deep down inside, the rational part of Chase was screaming at himself.

_Wake up, you idiot! He _wants_ you to attack him!_

But the irrational part of him just felt _so good_.

With a yell, he launched himself forward, using his molecular kinesis to give him an extra boost. Douglas swung the pipe at him, but Chase knocked it off course with a wave of his hand and he barreled into Douglas, both men knocked to the floor.

Chase landed several feet away from the other man, rolling to a stop. Before he could get up, Douglas was on him, pinning him down with hands to the eighteen-year-old's throat.

Douglas's eyes were full of sick glee. "Now I've got you!" He let go with one hand to reach behind him and pull out a syringe that was filled with a black liquid. He raised it high in the air, light glinting off the needle.

Chase's eyes widened and he thrust a palm out, sending the man flying off of him with a burst of molecular kinesis. He rolled onto his side, clutching his throat and gasping and coughing.

_Get up, weakling._

Chase pushed himself to his feet and turned to come face to face with Douglas, who reached out and whipped the bionic around to wrap him in a headlock.

Chase grappled with the arm crushing his windpipe, but it was no use.

_Use your abilities,_ the voice hissed angrily in his mind. But before he could, his head was forced to tilt to one side, and something sharp was stabbed into his exposed neck.

"I gave you the chance to join me willingly," Douglas snarled in his ear as the syringe's contents were emptied into Chase. "But you wouldn't listen." He pulled the needle out and tossed Chase carelessly to the floor.

"_Chase!_"

Bree's scream was muffled in Chase's ears, because he suddenly found that his head was _pounding_.

He groaned from his place on the floor, one hand gripping his head, the other hand trying to push him up.

_What did he do to me?_

He made it to his hands and knees when his body tensed in pain, sending him to the floor again. He felt like he was burning up, but the cool tiles below him were like ice to his skin and he shivered.

He stretched out a hand, wanting to reach for _something_, but the pain made his fingers curl into a fist until his nails dug into his palm. The pain was like fire, spreading throughout his body. His muscles spasmed in cramps unlike any he'd ever experienced before.

It was unbearable.

The place where the needle went in was burning and itching. He could... he could feel _something_ spreading in his veins, if that was even possible. It started down his arms, down his torso, down his legs. It all happened in minutes - or hours - yet it felt like it took a lifetime to reach his heart.

With a cry of agony, he convulsed on the floor, his back arching off the ground when his heart clenched painfully. His chest seemed to be tightening, making harder to breathe, and it just hurt _so bad_-

And then it was over.

The pain faded into an unpleasant ache. It disappeared from his legs and body and arms - his neck and back and joints were stiff, and for a moment, he couldn't turn his head.

So he just lied there on his side, his forehead pressed to the cold tile as he drew in ragged breaths.

Something was... something was wrong.

His heart - it was beating rapidly, the only source where he still felt some pain. He could just picture the muscle scarred and ripped from the strain it just went under. It felt like he'd aged twenty years in twenty seconds. Yet... yet that wasn't the only thing.

His head... It was still pounding, but this time he knew it was from adrenaline. He found it hard to focus on one thing, but what he could focus on was the emotion swelling in his chest.

It was like that feeling he got when dark voice whispered things to him, only ten times stronger.

He used to hate that feeling, but now... now he kinda liked it.

A laugh bubbled from his lips, half part insane, half part bitter.

Oh, man - was he bitter. And _angry_.

His hand, which was pressed to the tiles in front of his eyes, curled into a fist, shaking slightly from the effort. His strength was gradually returning.

He felt a wicked grin split his face.

He felt more powerful that ever. He could practically feel his bionic abilities tingling in his fingertips, desperate to be released.

_No one can stop you now,_ that voice whispered, and Chase agreed.

He'd discovered nearly two years ago, several months after he left home, that he was more powerful than he'd ever imagined. For years he was afraid of himself, afraid he'd hurt somebody. But now he saw how stupid he was to fear.

He'd sort of guessed that he was different when he was able to break Harrison's bionic nullifiers... with his bionics. He knew it shouldn't have been possible, but he did it. And then Harrison hinted that he and Damiana were both different - special.

_But Damiana was weak._

Yeah, she was.

_She couldn't overpower the nullifiers in her hospital room._

That's right: she couldn't.

_That's why she died._ _Because she was _weak.

Yeah, but not like him. He was strong.

_Prove it._

How?

_Get up._

He gathered his arms under him and pushed himself up, his shoulder blades sticking up from his body. His body shook from the effort, but he clenched his jaw and forced his arms to straighten, his palms pressed against the cool floor.

He drew his knees up one at a time, soon crouching on his feet. He left one arm stretched out, his fingers balancing his weight on the floor. His other arm rested on one of his knees, the hand dangling limp in the air.

His head was ducked as he tried to steady his breathing. The pounding in his head wouldn't go away, and the adrenaline that was still pumping was making him dizzy.

But he didn't mind. He felt more awake than he'd ever been in his life.

Another grin tugged at his lips, and he slowly began to push himself to his feet.

He was almost standing tall and straight when a wave of dizziness sent him off balance. He fell backwards, but one of his flailing arms slammed on top of something, and he clung to it, holding himself up.

_Douglas's computer._

He used the counter to help himself to his feet and steady himself. Looking around, everything seemed different. The adrenaline heightened his senses, objects sharper and more detailed.

Then his eyes landed on several figures staring at him in horror from behind laser bars.

_Who are they?_

His eyes narrowed as he tried to remember. Oh, yeah... That was his family. His sister, brother, stepbrother, stepmom, and dad.

Should they mean anything to him?

_No. You don't need them anymore._

That's true.

_They never needed you anyway._

Also true. So why should he care?

He overlooked his family and spotted Douglas. His eyes narrowed again, a cold fury washing over him.

He lashed out an arm and cupped his hand, grasping Douglas with his molecular kinesis. He snapped his arm back, yanking the other man across the room, suspended in the air before Chase.

"Give me one good reason not to crush you," Chase snarled, his head pounding faster.

Douglas's eyes weren't full of fear, but sincerity. "Because I'm like you, Chase. In more ways than one. I know what you're feeling. It feels good, doesn't it?"

Chase studied the other man warily, then gave a small, quick nod.

"You can do anything you want, Chase. You have so much power, right at your fingertips. I'm not going to ask you to spare me, because ultimately, it doesn't matter what I want."

Chase held the other man's gaze, shifting his weight slightly. Then his hand relaxed and Douglas fell to the floor.

He said nothing, didn't even look at his family, which meant nothing to him now.

He was new and improved, and didn't need anyone anymore.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Rising from the Depth by Sub Pub Music.**

**Haha, how was that? I have to say, my heart rate sped up a bit while writing this chapter.**

**So, let me know what you think, I love hearing your thoughts. And hopefully chapter ten will be written and up soon.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Oooh, this chapter gave me the chills. I hope it does the same for you. This is honestly one of my favorite chapters, and I hope you guys enjoy it! **

* * *

Monsters are real, ghosts are real too.

They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.

-Stephen King.

* * *

Sly didn't think that these feelings existed.

The sinking feelings in your gut and somehow you just know that someone you care for is in trouble.

She never believed in those feelings, but now she did.

She was sitting at her computers when it happened. She suddenly went cold, and her heart sped up.

She knew immediately that something was wrong - something with Chase.

She typed on her keyboard, fingers flying. She shoved away from that computer to the next, typing in something there.

She needed to find him. She needed to-

There.

A red dot that was Chase's watch (yes, she secretly installed a tracking chip in his watch) popped up on the screen, in a building just outside of...

Sly brows furrowed in confusion.

The building was just outside of Washington, DC.

Why would Douglas set up operations so close to government territory?

Sly suddenly shivered.

Douglas.

She and Chase had accidentally bumped in to him almost a year ago. Now she knew it wasn't an accident.

The man wanted Chase to join him. Join him for what, Sly didn't know. But the guy was persistent. He managed to track them down wherever they went, sending his men to do his dirty work.

Douglas and his goons scared her, but Chase was always there, to scare _them_ away.

Sly scribbled down the address of the building where Chase was then jumped up and slung on her jacket.

Chase was in trouble. She knew it.

She also knew it was because of Douglas.

If she was going to save Chase, she couldn't be scared anymore.

* * *

Chase stared at his reflection in the mirror, his shoulders hunched as he gripped the sides of the sink.

He had to admit... He looked pretty freaking scary.

Black lines, like tainted veins, crept up from the top of his cheek bones towards his eyes. The shadows around his eyes were deeper than usual, giving him a sinister look. His expression, although blank, was hard... cruel almost. He smirked at himself, and even that was devilish.

He may look pretty freaking scary, but it was also freaking cool.

Douglas said the dark streaks under his eyes were merely cosmetic side effects of the Blasyn, or "Black sin".

_"Designed it myself,"_ Douglas had stated proudly. _"Just for you."_

Chase still hated the man but... Douglas had said that he knew what Chase was feeling. He knew how good it felt.

That was a reason to trust him, right?

Chase wasn't sure. He... He actually wasn't sure of many things at the moment. What he was sure of was the fact that he liked the new him.

His head still pounded with adrenaline, his heart still pumped painfully in his chest, but he felt good - stronger.

_"Blasyn is designed to increase levels of adrenaline. That pounding won't go away. It also does other things. You've probably already experienced them. The anger, the bitterness... the evil."_

Chase couldn't tear his gaze away from his eyes, trying to decipher the darkness there.

_"Of course, it had a little help from you."_

_"What do you mean?"_ Chase had asked.

Douglas only grinned. _"You'll see."_ Then he motioned for one of his agents to come and show Chase to his room.

Chase tilted his head to the side and raised a hand towards the mirror. His pointer finger had barely touched the surface when the mirror liquefied and gathered in a shimmering mass in his hand. He backed away from the sink and carefully lowered himself onto his bed when the frame bumped against the back of his legs.

The metal shimmered in his hand as it molded into an elliptical shape, growing longer and longer until the ends became sharp points. From there, one end widened and flattened, while two small beams of metal stretched out to the sides. A hilt began to form in his hand, becoming more and more detailed. Within seconds, an elaborate dagger rested in his hands and he turned it over, studying it with detachment.

Sighing, he tossed the blade away and fell back onto the bed and lifted his legs onto the mattress.

Exhaustion stung his eyes and he was surprised he could feel tired with the adrenaline pumping through his brain. He closed his eyes and rested his forearm over them.

Before he fell asleep, one last thought popped into his brain.

_What am I doing?_

* * *

The rest of the Davenport family was in shock.

Donald sat on the ground with an arm wrapped around Tasha, Leo and Bree sitting next to each other across from their parents. Adam was the only one standing with his arms crossed.

All of them wore the same faraway look, all of them feeling numb.

That couldn't have been Chase, their brother, son, and friend.

That... that was a monster.

Bree was the first to break out of her trance, her wet eyes flicking up to her father's face. "Wh-" her voice wouldn't work so she cleared her throat softly and tried again. "Who was that man?"

Donald raised his eyes to meet hers. "His name... is Douglas."

Bree waited for more, but when it didn't come, she asked another question. "What did he do to Chase?"

"I made him better."

Bree whipped around at Douglas's voice, turning to see him stride into the room and over to his computers.

She got to her feet, facing him. "That-" she pointed in the direction she saw Chase disappear into "-that wasn't better!"

Douglas chuckled and glanced over at her. "Trust me, it was."

Adam came over and joined Bree. "What do you want with us?"

"Revenge." But it wasn't Douglas who replied. It was Donald.

Bree and Adam turned back to their father to see him lift his head, his sad eyes looking up at them. "It's revenge."

* * *

Sly slipped into the building from the air ventilation system on the roof. From there, she pulled away the grate of the air vent and dropped soundlessly onto the floor inside the building.

She checked her surroundings and saw it was clear. She jogged down the corridor, the schematics of the building flashing before her eyes. Approaching a corner, she pressed her back against the wall and held her breath while she listened, then peeked around and saw that two men were walking towards her.

Sly pulled away from the corner, closing her eyes in frustration. She had known it was highly unlikely, but she'd hoped she'd get through this without any confrontations.

The men's chatter reached her ears and she braced herself. The moment one man appeared around the corner, she jabbed a hand at his throat, bruising his windpipe, and a swift kick to the gut of the other man. She knocked the guy who was dazed and gasping for breath against the wall, letting his unconscious form fall to the ground.

The final man tried to throw a punch at her, but he was clumsy and she sidestepped easily. She pinched the nerve between his neck and shoulder as hard as she could, and the man crumpled to the floor on top of his buddy.

Sly let out a breath and continued on her mission, jogging around the corner...

And right into a guard's chest.

* * *

_"Ch..."_

He was floating.

At least... That's what it felt like.

He was suspended between reality and dream, floating within his own mind.

_"Ch's..."_

He wanted to swat at the voice, he wanted to make it go away.

"CHASE!"

Pain sparked in his cheek where he was slapped and he was jerked into awareness. He thrust out a hand, rolling onto his side. Satisfaction thrummed through him when he heard a loud thud.

Chase casually opened his eyes to glare at Douglas, who was picking himself off the floor.

"Get up," Douglas growled, brushing himself off. When the teen failed to move, he fixed the bionic with a glare that was almost paternal. "Get. Up."

And like an obstinate teenager, Chase groaned and practically slipped off the bed. "What?" he snapped, when he got to his feet, rubbing his eyes against the exhaustion that still plagued him. His head was throbbing harder now that he was awake.

"Come with me." Douglas came forward and wrapped his hand around Chase's arm in an iron grip, pulling him alongside as they exited the room.

"Get off," Chase snarled, yanking his arm out of the other man's hold.

Douglas shot Chase a glare, but didn't bother reaching for the teen again and instead picked up his pace. "There's something you need to see."

Douglas led the teen into his private office which was adjacent to the large room where the other Davenports were being kept.

"Shut the door."

Chase obeyed the curt order by closing the door hard enough to make an irritating bang.

Douglas looked up at the teen's smug face, but decided to ignore Chase's insolence. For now. Instead, he handed the bionic his tablet. "Do you recognize her?"

Chase took the tablet and saw that on the screen was a frozen frame of a security feed. For a brief moment, he thought... He felt something...

"No," he said, handing the tablet back to Douglas, who was watching him warily.

"You sure?"

Chase sighed, his anger building again. His fingers twitched at the feeling. He itched to take it out on something. Or someone.

Douglas noticed this and smiled. "I want you to take care of her. Permanently."

Chase didn't want to give the man the satisfaction of submitting but he wanted to feel that rush again. That rush of power.

"Where is she?" he asked, dark excitement stirring his heart faster and making his head pound harder.

Douglas's eyes were full of twisted pride and joy. "Corridor 5C."

Chase nodded, giving the man one last sneer before turning and leaving the room.

He never thought hunting would be this fun.

* * *

Sly gulped, staring at the mountain of a man before her.

She tried for a smile, but the man just glowered down at her.

Then the lights went out, and she used the brief distraction as her chance to take down the guard by kicking out his knees and sending him crashing to the floor. She felt her way along the wall and darted past him.

When red emergency lights clicked on, her heart nearly gave out in fright. The hallway was bathed in the color of blood, and there he was, standing at the other end of the hall, watching her.

Sly instantly knew who it was, even when the emergency lights flicked off. She spent the last two years memorizing everything about him. She didn't have to see his face to know it was Chase.

But when the red lights switched on again, she nearly screamed, stumbling back.

Chase was suddenly _right there_, staring down at her with-

His eyes.

Sly gasped, raising a hand to her lips as the lights went off, then came back on moments later. Chase was still in the same spot. "Chase," she whispered, coming closer. "What did they do to you?"

"I know you." His voice cut through the short period of darkness. It was as hard and detached as his expression when it was bathed in the blood light.

Off went the lights.

...On.

Sly couldn't tear her gaze away from his eyes and those awful black stains - were those veins? - disappearing into the shadows of his eye sockets.

Off. She held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

...On. Chase's head was tilted and he was watching her with curiosity. She swallowed her fear because this was Chase. Chase would never hurt her. "It's... It's me. Sly." When no recognition shone in his eyes, she tried again, more hesitant this time. "...You remember me, right? I'm Sl- I'm Selena."

Something flitted across his face, but darkness enveloped them once again and she couldn't tell what it was. When the hallway was bathed in red several seconds later, she saw a devilish smirk on his face that made her heart beat faster, but not from the emotion she preferred.

"It doesn't matter who you are."

Off. Sly - Selena - knew it wasn't the darkness that gave her the chills.

"I still have to kill you."

...On.

Sly sobbed and turned and ran, back the way she came.

Off.

...On.

She had almost reached the corner before she cried out when her feet were pulled out from under her, but she swore that no hands touched her - and that the same not-hands were now dragging her backwards.

Off.

Tears fell down her cheeks as she screamed, hands grappling for any kind of purchase on the floor. But the floor was smooth, and she kept sliding, sliding, sliding.

On.

She almost didn't hear it - the laughter that chilled her to the core.

That wasn't Chase. That wasn't him. He would never do this.

Off.

"Chase," she pleaded when the hold on her legs finally disappeared. She flipped over on her back just as the lights flickered on again, and she saw his face. He may look the same, but she didn't recognize him. He... He was a monster.

"Chase, please."

Off.

She scrambled back on her elbows, her heels propelling her away as she heard Chase advance. "Please don't do this," she whispered, more tears escaping her eyes.

On.

For a moment, Chase paused, his eyes exploring hers, and he looked to be fighting with himself. And there - there it was. Hope blossomed in her chest when she caught a glimpse of the Chase she knew and loved. ...But then his face hardened, and she knew that her Chase was gone.

Off.

"No," she cried, backpedaling faster. "No!"

On.

She scrambled to her feet and ran, the off-and-on-again emergency lights disorientating her. This time, no invisible hands yanked her back, but his voice followed her instead.

"You can run, but you can't hide. Not from me."

Sly stifled a sob and turned the corner, trying to put as much distance between her and... _him_.

Off.

She knew that he let the darkness inside of him win. She had seen it coming. She had known it was a stupid idea to fall for him. Oh, why did she get involved with him in the first place? She'd known since the moment she saw him that he would end up breaking her heart. Yet she ended up falling anyway.

On.

And now her heart was cracking to pieces.

Off.

On.

When she glanced back during the moment of red light, she saw _him_, the monster, striding after her quickly yet casually, as if he had all the time in the world but eagerness pushed him forward.

_Eagerness to kill you._

Sly turned away just as the lights went dark. For a few seconds, all she heard was her ragged breathing. When the lights clicked back on, her scream echoed down the hall.

Chase, bathed in blood light, stood several feet in front of her, forcing her to skid to a stop.

Off. An invisible force wrapped around her waist and yanked her forward, something solid and _real_ wrapping around her throat and squeezing, her legs dangling in the air.

On. Red light revealed Chase's arm raised, his fingers curled around her throat as that invisible force held her suspended in air.

Off. Sly clawed at his hand, the pressure increasing until she could hardly breathe.

On. "Ch'se," she gasped, forcing her eyes to meet his, which shone with sick delight. "Pl'se."

Off. She relished the darkness because she didn't have to see the smirk that curled his lips, because it wasn't the smirk she'd grown to love.

On. She didn't know what she could do to... to _fix him_, but she knew she had to try. "Ch'se. Y'u don' w'nt to hu-" she choked when his hand squeezed momentarily "-urt me."

Off. Did the pressure around her throat lighten up the tiniest bit? "'M y'ur... 'M y'ur friend," she croaked, hot tears escaping her eyes.

On. When she met his gaze, she saw - she saw the Chase she once knew bleed back into his eyes, and she thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She gave a small smile, clinging tightly to the wrist holding her up.

Off. Suddenly, she fell, the hand crushing her throat gone. She collapsed to the floor, coughing and placing a hand to her sore throat.

On. She glanced up at Chase, the blood red lights illuminating his horrified expression as he gazed down at her. Backing away, he seemed to be heaving for air. "Wh- What h... have I done?"

"Chase," Sly gasped with a smile. She pulled herself to her feet, still reeling from the pain of her abused throat, while they were plunged into darkness again.

She leaned against the wall and waited for the lights to come back on. When they did, she felt her heart clench fearfully in her chest.

Chase was hunched over, a hand clutching the side of his head. "Chase?" she asked, stepping towards him.

He shook his head, still not looking at her, and held out his other hand to tell her to stop. "Stay away," he said, and Sly's heart hurt to hear how broken and small his voice was.

Off.

"What is it?" she asked, her own voice barely above a whisper.

Chase just shook his head again and turned away from her, his face grimacing in pain. "Run."

On.

Sly froze. How could he ask her to run when she finally got him back? But with a sinking feeling in her gut, she asked herself - did she really get him back?

"Run."

Off...

Sly began to back away, something in Chase's voice scaring her again. "Chase? Please, just, come-"

"_RUN!_"

On.

Chase's voice was no longer his own again. It was harsher and steely, and Sly knew that the monster - whatever it was inside of him - was coming back. But underneath everything, she could still hear the pleading in his voice as he ordered and begged her to run.

...Off.

With a sob, she turned and ran, but she knew she was leaving her heart, whatever was left of it, behind with Chase.

Red...

...Black.

On...

...Off.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Broken Pieces by Apocalyptica featuring Lacey Sturm. **

**Sooo... How was it? Did it give you the chills? Please let me know! I always appreciate your reviews.**

**I'm hopefully going to start a weekly update schedule again. It's time I got my act together and made it easier for you guys to read this story - so you'll know when to expect a chapter. **

**I'll see you guys next week then. (Hopefully.)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, here it is! Chapter eleven. It's even a day early. But... I have to say... I don't know how I feel about this chapter. It's supposed to be really intense, to match the soundtrack I have planned, but I feel like it doesn't measure up. I wrote most of this chapter today because I had writer's block for the longest time. I actually wrote this chapter backwards from the end to the beginning - and that's a pain when you're writing it longhand. But it worked, and here it is. So, please let me know how I did. I would really appreciate it.**

**And AllAmericanSlurp, your question referring to Blasyn is answered in this chapter, but if you still have questions, let me know and I'll answer them to the best of my ability in the author's notes in the next chapter.**

* * *

The truth may hurt for a little while but a lie hurts forever.

Anon.

* * *

Chase strode down the hall, his shadowed eyes full of hate.

_You don't need anybody._

Of course he didn't.

_Then why are you still here?_

He... he didn't know.

_Just bring the whole building down already._

But something held him back, and he hated it and loved it at the same time.

He grunted when he was suddenly shoved into a wall.

"Why didn't you finish the job?" Douglas yelled, his voice laced with fury.

Chase didn't know, but he still snapped, "She wasn't worth the effort."

"Well, you're going to find her and then end her!" Douglas grabbed Chase's arm and shoved him ahead. "In the meantime, you're coming with me until we can locate her."

Chase grumbled under his breath but complied, glaring at Douglas whenever the man pushed him to walk faster.

_Just kill him._

No.

_Why not? You've killed before._

Not yet.

The voice inside his head fell silent just as they walked into Douglas's control room. It was decent-sized, with a rectangular shape. The cage holding his family was in the middle of the room, but his eyes skimmed over them when he glanced their way. The walls and floor were white - so much white. Douglas's "throne" sat at one of the shorter ends of the room, and his computer systems that controlled basically everything in the building, along with containing all his data and files, were up against the left wall fifteen feet away from the throne, with one exception of an island counter placed between Douglas's throne and the electric cage.

It was to this counter that Douglas moved behind, tapping on its surface.

"How did she find us, anyway?" Douglas growled. When Chase didn't respond, he looked up. "_How?_"

"I don't know!" Chase yelled, raising his hands in the air. "I don't know, okay? Satisfied?"

Douglas stared at Chase untrustingly for several more seconds before he relented and looked back down at the screen again.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Chase froze, his body suddenly cold.

The gasps of his family echoed what he felt inside.

Even Douglas looked up, shocked.

Chase turned slowly, and there, standing in the doorway, was Harrison Garvy.

He was smirking, arms crossed, and completely cocky.

"Douglas," he said, placing a hand over his heart. "You started the party without me."

Douglas's face contorted in anger. "Come with me," he growled, leaving the room and heading for his private office.

Harrison grinned, following after him. As he passed Chase, he clapped the bionic on the shoulder, who shrugged the hand off. "Hey, Chase. Love what you've done with yourself. New look?"

Chase glared at the man, who backed away with a laugh, his eyes never leaving the teen's. Chase had a very entertaining idea of giving Harrison the worst charley horse in the history of charley horses. But the daring look in Harrison's eyes told the bionic that the man was expecting it. So he just frowned and looked away, an action that made Harrison smile wider.

Chase turned away as the man followed Douglas down the hall to his office. For the first time since his transformation, he met eyes with his family, sharing their worry and fear and anger.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Garvy?" Douglas snarled, sitting down in his chair behind his desk. "I thought you were locked up."

Harrison crossed his arms, staring down at Douglas from across the desk. "I had unfinished business. I thought you understood that."

"You had your chance, Harrison. You messed it up."

"So, what? That's it? Game over for me?"

"Yes, that's exactly it! It's my game now."

"Douglas, I'm not giving this up until I have my share of the revenge."

Douglas's face darkened. "You had your fun! In fact, you had too much fun." He slammed his fist down on his desk. "You killed Damiana! None of them were supposed to die."

Harrison held up a finger. "But I didn't kill her. It was one of my operatives. After I got arrested, she acted of her own will."

"But you were planning to kill them all along, Garvy, after we agreed you would deliver them to me."

"You had a spy amongst my men?" Harrison's face dawned with realization. "So that's why your men were there when the Davenports escaped. You knew what I was planning."

"Of course," Douglas said, watching Harrison. "I only brought you in on this because I needed your help with the Davenports. That didn't mean I trusted you. You had one of the bionics killed, after all."

Harrison threw his hands in the air. "I didn't kill her!"

But Douglas wasn't listening. "The operative - Natalia, right? - that killed Damiana... She was your daughter, wasn't she?" Harrison startled, face pale. Douglas only smirked. "You tried so hard to keep it a secret, not even she knew who you were to her."

Harrison's arms were crossed tightly and his jaw was clenched. Yet he said nothing.

"She really was a lovely girl," Douglas continued, shrugging, "if you could just see past her insanity. It's a shame she was met with an accident during her transport to juvenile. A daughter for a daughter."

Harrison's lips were pinched together. For a moment, neither men said anything. Harrison turned away, giving what he hoped was an indifferent sniff. "Yeah, well... Natalia was a selfish brat. She meant nothing to me since the day she was born."

Douglas smiled, knowing the older man was lying. Then he sighed. "You screwed up your chance three years ago, Harrison." He looked up at the other man, thinking. "But I can't just let you leave."

Harrison regarded Douglas carefully. "And what, exactly, do you plan to do with me?"

Douglas didn't reply at first, but when he did, he shook his head. "I don't know yet." He stood up from his chair, his gaze dark. "But you should know that you have not been forgiven for Damia's death. Nor for planning to go behind my back."

* * *

Chase paced the floor back in the main room, glaring at his feet while his hands were tucked in his pockets.

_You should kill Garvy._

Oh, he wanted to. He wanted to kill Douglas, too.

_Then why don't you?_

He... He didn't know.

_You're being weak._

No, he was strong. Stronger than ever.

"Chase."

The girl's voice interrupted his mental conversation, and he turned to face her - his sister, Bree.

"What?" he snapped, wandering closer to the cage. He expected her to shrink away in fear, but she didn't.

"How are you?" The simple question threw Chase off track. His sister's voice was calm and soothing.

_She's playing you._

It wouldn't surprise him. He'd been played by them his whole life.

"Like you'd really want to know," he sneered, pacing again.

"Yes, Chase, I actually would." Bree stepped as close as she could to the bars, the hum of their energy buzzing in her ears. "How're you feeling?"

Chase gave a humorless laugh, throwing his head back. He turned to face her. "I'm _awesome!_ Better than ever. How are you?"

Bree shrugged. "Well... I have been better. This hasn't exactly turned out to be the best week for me."

Chase didn't respond, just resumed his pacing.

Bree watched him with concern, wondering how she could get through to him. "I got engaged this week." Gosh - had it only been just this week?

Chase faltered a step, but quickly recovered. "Yeah? Who's the unlucky guy?"

Bree ignored his biting words, knowing that this wasn't Chase speaking. It wasn't him. "His name is Lance. I think you'd like him."

Chase snorted. "I doubt it."

Leo got up from his place on the floor, coming to stand beside Bree. "What is up with you, man? Snap out of it!"

Chase whirled around, and Bree and Leo had to fight the urge to step back. "_Snap out of it?_ Why? Why should I?"

Bree glanced at Leo, warning him to be careful, but the seveteen-year-old ignored her.

"Because this isn't you!"

"_No!_" Chase yelled, eyes pools of dark fury. "This is _exactly_ me. This is who I am inside. This is _me_."

Davenport climbed to his feet and spoke next. "Do you really believe that, Chase? Are you this evil?"

_Yes._

No.

...Maybe?

Chase stared at his father. "Is evil that bad? I'm more powerful now than I've ever been!" He spread his arms wide. "This is me: new and improved." When he saw the uncertain looks on their faces, his expression darkened.

"What?" he snarled. "You want your pathetic, weak Chasey back? The one that you can bully and push around and make fun of?" He approached the cage, his body bristling with barely contained anger. "I'm stronger than all of you now. And you don't like that because now you can't control me."

"Chase," Tasha pleaded. "We never wanted to control you! You're family."

"Is that supposed to mean anything?" Chase asked, causing everyone to gasp in horror. He smiled, his dark eyes dancing with satisfaction.

"You were the one that saved us, weren't you?" Bree suddenly blurted out, desperate. "You saved us from the FBI."

Chase froze, eyes sliding over to her. "The worst decision of my life," he spat, turning away.

"Who was she?"

Chase stopped yet again, his back to his sister.

"Who was she?" Bree prodded softly. "The girl in the car."

_"...You remember me, right? I'm Sl__-__ I'm Selena."_

Chase squeezed his eyes shut, raising a hand to his temple.

_"Chase... Chase, please... Please don't do this."_

"She was nobody," he ground out between clenched teeth, rubbing his forehead.

_Then why didn't you kill her?_

He... he just couldn't.

_You're weak._

"She was very pretty," Bree continued.

He remembered holding her up by her throat, choking her.

"What's her name?"

"Stop," Chase pleaded, both hands raised to his head now. "Just stop."

"Chase? Are you okay?" Bree asked, voice full of concern.

"Just shut up!" he yelled, the lights flickering as the metal wires' solidity fluctuated.

* * *

"I saw what you did with Chase," Harrison said, jerking his head back towards the main room. "Quite remarkable."

"Well, he's the remarkable one, really," Douglas replied, crossing his arms. "Damia was too, although she was slightly more remarkable than he was at the time."

Harrison nodded, understanding where this was going. "I remember. The scan I took of her neck showed that the chip had almost fully integrated with her nervous system, making the chip and herself one."

Douglas pursed his lips, placing his hands on his hips while his gaze grew distant. "Yes, I saw the scans. Chase's chip wasn't far behind, and I believe that the two years spent out of his capsule helped. It's extraordinary because the others' chips aren't nearly as advanced. His level of power is unprecedented."

Harrison studied the other man. "What did you give him to turn him into _that?_"

Douglas smiled, proud. "I call it Blasyn. It was designed to block all the receptors in the neural passageways of the brain that deal with pleasure and sympathy and fear. He shouldn't experience any guilt, any compassion, any happiness - except for twisted satisfaction. He should be feeling only anger... hatred... bitterness..." Douglas trailed off, lost in thought.

"You rid him of his humanity," Harrison observed, watching his partner.

Douglas shook himself out of his trance, smiling. "Exactly. Humanity limits the mind. Without it, a person could have unlimited power, right at his fingertips."

The lights flickered briefly.

Both men looked up at the ceiling, then at each other.

"I believe that's our cue," Douglas stated, striding out of the room.

* * *

"Chase," Bree pleaded. "Please remember. Remember the good times we had!"

"Why should I?" Chase growled. "All it serves is to remind me how weak I was." He turned to face his sister, distaste on his face. "How stupid I was."

"Remember all those times you saved our butts on missions?" Bree said, breathless. Her heart raced from desperation. "You saved us out of love. You knew exactly what you were doing. You weren't stupid."

"You could hardly call that love. How could I act out on something I'd never experienced myself?" He knew his words hurt, and frankly, he couldn't care less.

...But that wasn't true, was it? Even now, staring at his family in that cage, he had a sudden, weak urge to free them. He was forced to look away, his head pounding painfully.

Why did it have to hurt so much?

"But you love her." Chase froze - again. "That girl," Bree said quietly, her eyes piercing when he turned his head slightly to meet her gaze. "You love her."

For a second, the black fog began to drift away from his mind and his expression softened as he continued to hold her stare.

For a second, he thought-

"Well, isn't this a wonderful family reunion."

Chase turned at Douglas's voice and saw the man himself and Harrison standing in the doorway. The hard expression instantly returned on Chase's face, and he scowled, backing away from the cage.

"Oh, no, please," Harrison said, raising his hands. "Don't stop on our account." He grinned. "It was just getting juicy." He merely laughed when everyone, even Douglas, shot him looks that clearly told him to shut up.

Douglas walked over, casually slinging an arm around Chase, watching Donald and his family warily. "You guys weren't trying anything, were you?" Then he laughed. "Silly me, you can't. Bree and Adam's bionics are canceled out by the nullifiers so graciously provided by Mr. Garvy."

"Then how come Chase's work?" Adam asked, nodding at his brother.

Douglas grinned. "Haven't you heard?" His arm hooked around Chase's neck and squeezed playfully before releasing the teen, who stumbled away gratefully with a dark glare at Douglas. "Your brother's special! His bionic and biologic energy has - essentially - become one and the same - mutated into something different. The nullifiers can't block what they can't recognize."

Donald's mouth gaped. "Wha- B- That's im-"

"Impossible?" Harrison asked, stepping forward. "Hardly. In fact, your daughter Damiana was much the same way. Although, her chip wasn't... ah, fully integrated with her nervous tissue, which was why the nullifiers could still pick up her bionic signal and block it."

"That's why she died," Bree whispered, fighting the urge to cry.

Harrison stuck out his bottom lip in a mock attempt of sympathy. "I'm afraid so," he sighed, not sounding sorry in the least.

There was a moment of silence as people got lost in there own thoughts, but then Douglas shook himself, shaking his hands impatiently. "But that's not important right now," he snapped, causing looks of rage to cross Bree and Donald's face. "But _speaking of_ family..." He swung to face Chase, a crooked grin on his face. "When I first met Bree, she thought I was you. At a first glance in a dark room, she thought I was you. Why?"

Chase furrowed his brow in confusion, shaking his head. "I-I don't-"

"_Why?_"

Chase shook his head harder, stepping back. "I-I don- We're... We look the same? We're... We're similar..." His face scrunched into that familiar look he got whenever he was in the process of solving a complex problem. "W-... We're related?"

Silence fell as realization dawned on Chase's face, the effects of the Blasyn almost replaced by the look. "...We're related," he repeated, meeting Douglas's smug gaze.

Donald closed his eyes, bowing his head. He knew where this was going. And he had no power to stop it.

"Did Donald ever tell you who was responsible for you mother's death?" Douglas asked, studying the eighteen-year-old with a raised eyebrow.

Chase's expression morphed into one of confusion. "She... She died shortly after I was born."

Douglas gave a bitter laugh. "He lied to you about Damiana. Did it ever occur to you that he lied about your mother too?"

Donald shook his head. "Douglas, don't," he said in a tired voice. He was tired of begging, tired of trying. But he attempted one more time. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for them to know. And yet, here they were, finding out from his worst enemy.

When he looked around at his family, at their looks of shock and horror, he realized what he did - or what he _didn't_ do.

He didn't try to prove Douglas wrong.

Douglas smirked at the grave Donald just dug for himself. "My. Big. Brother," he continued with as much sarcasm as he could, "was _jealous_ because Lucy chose _me_. Me, not him. He tried to steal her from me, but in the end he just got her killed."

Chase's shadowed eyes bore into Donald with disbelief and hurt. "Chase, it wasn't like that," the inventor rushed, sincere. But Chase pulled away as if Donald had just slapped him.

"Because he couldn't have her," Douglas said, raising his voice to make sure he was heard, "...he stole my four lovely children." He paused, turning to look at each bionic in turn, minus one. "Their names were Adam... Bree... Damiana... and Chase."

The bionics stared at Douglas in horrified surprise while Tasha and Leo watched all of this happen with body-numbing shock.

Chase was the first to react, his expression darkening, his eyes, burning with cold fire, pierced his father - no, his _uncle_. "We're not even your children?" he asked, his voice an accusing whisper. "The lies just. Don't. Stop."

_How could you ever have loved these people?_ the voice in his mind snarled.

Now it all made sense: why he was so different, why he was so evil. He took after his _psychopathic father_. That darkness, that tempting darkness wriggling in his chest - came from _him_.

For years, he fought against the darkness.

_Why'd you bother? You were born from the darkness, you belong to the darkness._

Why'd he bother? He bothered because he thought he was the son of a good man... A hero.

Bitterness and rage hit him so hard that he almost stumbled from dizziness.

He belonged to the darkness? He _was_ the darkness.

The lights flickered suddenly and rapidly, everything metal beginning to slowly liquefy. The Davenports glanced up in fear then back at the youngest bionic, who was bristling with dangerous energy.

"You are such a liar," Chase hissed, shadows from the flashing lights playing across his face.

"Chase," Donald pleaded, his eyes imploring Chase to believe him. "I didn't have a choice."

"Yes! You did!" Chase yelled. "You could have told us the truth!"

Harrison came up from behind Chase, grinning maliciously at Davenport as he whispered, "Do it. _Kill him._"

Chase clenched his jaw as he stared with hatred at Donald, who stared right back in fear and shame and guilt. With a frustrated snarl rising up his throat, Chase lashed out, quick as lightning.

...But it wasn't Donald's body who fell to the floor.

It was Harrison's.

Bree stifled a gasp, her heart nearly stopping.

The man who ruined their lives all those years ago was dead, his neck twisted at an odd angle.

Her eyes slowly traveled upward. Up, up, and up until she could see her little brother's face, half turned away from her.

"I should've killed you a long time ago," Chase sneered, his face dark with fury.

No one noticed the other man backing way with a small, triumphant smile, disappearing down a flickering hallway.

Chase rotated carefully to face his f- his enemies. "You're not my family," he said. Tears shimmered in his eyes as he glared at them. "_You never were._" He began to advance towards them, and one could almost imagine the aura of darkness swirling around him. The lights flickered faster as their wiring melted. "You're all gonna pay."

They were thrown into darkness when the electrical wires finally liquefied, the Davenports frozen in fear. With a skip of her heart, Bree realized that their laser cage - the only thing between them and _him_ \- was gone.

She held her breath, slowly backing up. She could tell the others were doing the same. She almost laughed out loud in bitterness. Who could have known that their greatest enemy would be their own brother.

But then she stopped.

Chase wasn't their greatest enemy - Douglas was. It was _Douglas_ who captured them. It was _Douglas_ who made Chase this way. It was _Douglas_ who was ruining their lives.

"Chase," she gasped.

She cried out when there was a brilliant flash of blue white light and she was thrown backwards. She crashed into the wall with enough force that she wouldn't be surprised if she left cracks from the impact.

Bree groaned and pushed herself up, her arms shaking with the effort. Then she realized she could see the quivering in her muscles and looked up.

Chase was standing still with a small force field in his hand to illuminate the room enough for her to see her family staring at her in concern. But she ignored them and focused on Chase.

"I know you could kill us - right here, right now," she said, not bothering to stand but choosing to kneel. "I know you're angry. I am too. But Da- Mr. Davenport must've had a reason - a really good one. He always does, right?"

Chase glared at her, face cruel and hard. He didn't say anything... but didn't attack either.

Adam stepped forward, drawing Chase's attention to him. "Yeah, Chase, I mean - he kept us safe for all our lives. He trained us and looked after us."

"He locked us _in the basement_," Chase snapped. "He fed us pellets and made us sleep in capsules!"

Several people opened their mouths to reply but then Chase yelled, "_Enough!_"

Suddenly there was an flare of blue light as a force field exploded from Chase and pulsed outward, slamming into the Davenports and flinging them into the wall behind them.

They fell to the floor in barely-conscious heaps, the light dimming back to a dull glow in Chase's palm.

"No more talking," Chase growled, then turned and walked away.

Bree watched him go with a blurry gaze that may or may not have been caused by tears. As he disappeared in the darkness, taking the light with him, she couldn't help believing that Chase - their dorky, nerdy, innocent Chase - was gone forever.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: My Enemy by Hans Zimmer, The Magnificent Six, Pharrell Williams and Johnny Marr [The Amazing Spider-Man 2] (You'll be fine just using Hans Zimmer or the movie name when looking up the song. I just wanted to give credit where it's due.)**

**So, some parts of the song, especially the whispers in the song, don't exactly match up with what I wrote. The whispers are _implied_ for my story - what Chase would be thinking/feeling if I explored his thoughts more. While most of the song can be listened to while reading the chapter, parts are meant to go beyond what's been written. I'm reading this paragraph over and it's confusing even me, but I don't know how else to explain it. Just keep this in mind - the music describes feelings not discussed as well as actions actually made.**

**Ooo, the Big Reveal! Now you know that Unearthed was basically my own version of the Bionic Showdown - sort of. It started off as that, then became so much more than just Donald's secret exposed.**

**I'm sorry for any grammatical errors I made in this chapter. Like I said, I wrote pretty much all of it today and read it over only a few times. **

**Please let me know what you guys think. Was it intense enough or not? Haha, as you can tell from the confusing explanation above about the soundtrack, I'm kinda nervous. I tend to talk in circles when I'm nervous. :/**

**Anyway, I'll see you guys next week with chapter twelve! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Yayyy it's chapter twelvvveee. I don't have much to say (probably a good thing for you guys, huh? Haha), so I'm just going hope that you'll enjoy the chapter. **

* * *

Things come apart so easily when they have

been held together with lies.

-Dorothy Allison

* * *

Lies.

Lies, lies, lies.

His life was all a lie.

All he could see was lies.

Lies, lies, lies.

Where did the lie stop and the truth begin?

Was Douglas really telling the truth?

Did Donald ever care for him and his siblings or was that just an act?

He was so confused! Emotions swirled inside of him.

He wanted to forgive Donald. He wanted to hate Donald.

He wanted to believe Douglas. He wanted to curse Douglas.

He wanted to free his family. He wanted to make them suffer.

_Why shouldn't you make them suffer?_ the voice whispered. _Didn't they torture you for _fifteen years_ with their insults and their "fun and games"?_

Yeah, they did. They deserved death, but death was too easy.

Yet, he couldn't lift his hands to hurt them more than he already had.

So he walked away.

He walked away into the darkness, letting it consume him, absolutely and completely.

He left his family lost and unconscious in the dark.

Men - Douglas's men - brushed past him on either side of the hall to secure the people he left behind.

They weren't his family anymore. He didn't recognize them.

So he disappeared into the darkness, with nothing and no one to call him back.

He didn't know where he was going, just knowing he had to go _somewhere_.

Later, he found himself sitting in darkness, leaning against a wall, staring blankly ahead.

He'd extinguished his force field, plunging him entirely into night.

_He lied to you._

Donald was a pathological liar, he'd decided.

_He lied about who you are._

He was the son of a madman, destined to be evil.

_He lied about where you came from._

He wasn't the son of a hero, a billionaire inventor. He belonged in an abandoned building with his real father, not in a mansion full of _lies._

He never wanted to go back there. He never wanted to go home. It wasn't his home anymore. He didn't belong there, living a lie.

He rubbed his eye, his hand coming away wet. With a start, he realized he'd been crying. He wiped at the tears angrily.

_Big boys don't cry._

His head pounded with adrenaline, his battered and bruised heart pumping painfully in his chest. It was like there was a fist curled around his heart, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing until he couldn't breathe-

Chase leaned his head against the wall, staring up into the darkness, his mouth open as he gasped, fighting back the sobs.

He didn't know what to do, what to feel, what to think.

He was lost, falling deeper and deeper into the black abyss that was his soul.

_Donald knew this would happen,_ his mind murmured. _He saw how much you looked like Douglas, acted like him __-__ you _were_ him._

But why'd he lie?

_He was afraid of you._

Chase raised his hands to his head, his fingers digging into his skull, and leaned forward between his bent knees.

_He knew you were dangerous._

Nausea made his stomach clench and he fought for air.

_He hated you, because you were too much of a reminder of Douglas._

A tear slipped from his eye as he stared at the floor. In the stillness of the hall, his acute hearing picked up the splash it made as it hit the ground.

_No,_ he groaned, _that's not true. It can't be._

For a moment, he was just really sad. But then irritability blossomed in his chest. Even after everything, there was a part of his naïve self still hanging on, trying to deny all that he'd seen and heard.

_I'm not that person anymore,_ he growled. _I'm better. I'm stronger._

He straightened, once more leaning against the wall.

Someone came and sat down beside him.

He didn't need a light to know it was Douglas.

"I want to know everything," Chase said, his voice husky. He turned in the general direction of his father's face. "I want to know it all."

* * *

The Davenports were gathered up by Douglas's minions and manhandled through the darkness until they were led down stairs.

"...ruined the wiring on the whole floor," one man supporting Leo muttered.

The family was either unconscious or still too dazed to give up much fight as they were forced down the stairs and finally out a door that opened to light.

Those who weren't unconscious - Tasha, Bree, and Donald - squinted against the brightness. Everything was white still. The building had been a type of office, heavily refurnished to Douglas's likings.

Before they knew it, they were being shoved into a room. It was smaller than Douglas's control room, but larger than their previous cells. And unlike their cells, there wasn't a one-way mirror in the wall. It had only one thing in the room: a bed.

Douglas's agents locked them in, only to come back a little later with cold, tasteless food for everyone, then left again.

Bree tried the handle, but it was locked. She leaned against the door and watched her family.

Adam and Leo had regained consciousness and were eating their food sullenly while Tasha sat next to Leo on the bed, her arms wrapped around her son. Donald was sitting on the floor with his legs straightened out before him as he leaned against the wall.

All of her family members had the same shell-shocked looks in their eyes.

She hated it.

"You," she snarled, eyes pinning Donald. "You need to tell us the truth."

Her fa- her uncle laughed bitterly. "You already know the truth. I doubt you'll want to listen to me."

Bree frowned. "You know what? You're right. I don't want to listen to you right now." When the inventor looked away, her expression softened. "But I also don't trust Douglas. All he's done so far is ruin our lives. But you looked after us for twenty years. That has to count for something."

Donald sighed, looking down at his hands then up at her. "It's actually only been seventeen years." He looked around and saw that he had everyone's attention. To Adam and Bree, he said, "I took you guys in when you were three and two and Damia and Chase were one."

* * *

Chase sat next to his father, waiting.

Douglas took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Donald stole you from me when Adam was just three years old. Bree was two, and you and Damia were a year old. He found out that I had implanted bionic chips in your necks and got angry... and jealous, because I perfected the technology he had only dreamed of."

* * *

Donald looked down at his hands as he fiddled with a piece of his shirt. "I had known for a few years that Douglas was working on a project outside of Davenport Industries. It had to deal with bionic technologies. He proposed the idea to me once, but I thought it was too dangerous. We had this huge argument about it..." He shrugged. "I discovered what he was planning just a few weeks too late." He looked at Bree. "He'd already implanted his children with the chips.

"I was afraid for you guys. I knew what he wanted to do with you and I knew what I had to do to stop him. So I... I took you away."

* * *

"He stole you from me," Douglas muttered. "And he made sure I was helpless for years by depleting all my bank accounts and destroying all my work and inventions."

* * *

"I knew Douglas would come after us," Donald continued. "So I hacked his accounts and found creative ways to get rid of his money. I made sure to destroy enough of his files and inventions to set him back for years. And then I moved you to Mission Creek."

Adam set down his plate, finished. "Douglas mentioned our mom. What about her?"

* * *

Chase took this all in, his hatred towards Donald solidifying. "What about my mom? What happened to her?"

Douglas chuckled. "She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Unfortunately, Donald felt the same way. He was always so bitter over the fact that Lucy chose me over him. He tried to take her away too, but she didn't want to leave. In a fit of rage, he..." Douglas choked up. "He killed her."

* * *

Donald smiled sadly. "Your mother's name was Lucy Sterling. She came to our high school during our senior year. I really liked her, but... she really liked Douglas."

Donald's face darkened. "Douglas couldn't give a crap about her. She deserved someone so much better than him, yet they got married anyway. When I found out what Douglas was planning with you children, I warned her and eventually convinced her to help me get you to safety."

He paused, pinching his lips. "We were almost away when... He was right behind us. Your mother stayed back to distract him long enough for me to get you away. And he, uh..." he trailed off, his voice wavering. "He shot her."

* * *

"I was so devastated," Douglas murmured. "I held her in my arms as she died, while Donald took you away from me."

* * *

Donald let out a shaky breath. "Once I hid you, I went back and I held her in my arms as she bled to death, while Douglas was yelling from insanity in the background."

Bree inhaled sharply, eyes blurring with tears. Adam's face was pale, and Tasha and Leo looked horror-stricken.

"Sh-She didn't make it." Donald closed his eyes.

"So this is all about revenge?" Bree asked, swiping at her wet eyes.

* * *

"Are you doing this just for revenge?" Chase asked, mind swirling with the new information.

Douglas's smile could practically be heard. "No. Not just for revenge. Donald deserves to suffer for what he did, but... I just want my children back."

* * *

Donald contemplated her question carefully before answering. "He's getting revenge on me, Bree, and he wants to make sure I know it."

"What's he going to do?" Tasha asked, rubbing Leo's arm.

Donald held her gaze before looking between Bree and Adam. "He's going to take you away from me and finish what he started. But you should know something..."

* * *

Douglas switched on the lantern that he'd brought with him but had left off until now.

Chase squinted momentarily at the light, but focused on Douglas when the man turned to face him. "I want to make up for lost time," Douglas said, placing a hand on Chase's shoulder. "You're my son. I only got one year with you and missed the other seventeen. You, Bree, Adam - I want to get to know my children."

Chase opened his mouth to reply, but then Douglas used his grip on the bionic's shoulder to pull him into a gentle hug.

Donald never let them hug him growing up. He never even let them call him "Dad". It wasn't until during Harrison's own revenge attempt that Donald had begun to change.

But here was Douglas, hugging him not even fifteen hours after Chase arrived when it took Donald nearly fifteen years.

Chase slowly wrapped his arms around his father, then buried his face in his shirt. Douglas's hold around him tightened reassuringly, and for the first time in a long time, he felt safe.

* * *

"Whatever you choose to believe," Donald continued, looking up at Adam and Bree, "at least believe this. Douglas... He is your father, but he doesn't care about you."

Bree and Adam shared a look, both worried and confused and scared out of their minds.

Donald's eyes were earnest as he said, "There isn't an ounce of light in that man. The darkness swallowed his soul years ago."

* * *

Douglas felt Chase's arms close around him and a dark thrill of satisfaction ran through him.

He squeezed tighter, like a snake wrapping around its victim.

A smirk tilted his lips as he raised a hand to the back of the boy's head, an action that he'd seen many fathers perform in movies.

One down, two to go.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Lies by Evanescence. **

**I absolutely love that song, and the beginning always gives me chills. **

**So? How was chapter twelve? Please let me know, I love hearing your feedback {I'm talking to you, my two favorite (and only) reviewers - yeah, you know who you are ;)}, and I'll see you guys next week!**


	13. Chapter 13 - Part 1

**Hello! As you can see, this chapter is labeled "Part 1". That is because this chapter is so big that it has to be split into three parts. **

**Hope you like Part 1. :)**

* * *

Reality is, Hope and Despair lie in the same

places. And they're just a matter of perspective.

What changed my perspective, was her.

-Richie Singh, _Chasing Butterflies_

* * *

Chase stared in the mirror, back in his room.

He was leaning against the sink again, staring at his dark eyes in the reflection.

The black veins crawled like cracks up to his eyes, disappearing into the rings framing his eye sockets.

_I don't know you anymore,_ he said to the person in the mirror. _What have you become?_

He'd become something to hate, something to fear.

_Is that what you really want?_

Yes.

_Didn't you hate being looked at like you were some kind of monster?_

He always was a monster. He'd hated those looks because he'd tried to deny it.

_You can never escape your destiny,_ the evil voice that he'd grown to love suddenly hissed. _You were meant to be hated._

Chase looked back into the mirror and saw he was crying, his face pinched in suffering.

_You're still so weak,_ the voice snarled.

_Shut up!_ he mentally yelled, raising his hands to his head. _Just shut up!_

But the dark eyes kept staring back at him in the mirror, and he couldn't stand it anymore.

The mirror shattered, cracks like webs spiraled away from the fist he'd smashed into the glass. The image of his face was distorted, but still there.

_I hate what I've become._

_No. You love it __-__ and that's why you hate it._

* * *

Douglas approached him later that day, placing two syringes of Blasyn in his hand. "Inject Adam and Bree with these," he whispered. "And we'll be a family again."

A dark thrill ran through him. He had his real father now, and soon he'd have his brother and sister too. Soon, his brother and sister would see the world like he did. They wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.

He looked down at the glinting syringes in his hand. The black liquid sloshed around inside. He could almost hear it whispering to him, or maybe that was just the evil already inside of him.

"What about the others?" Chase whispered, enraptured by the Blasyn in the syringes.

"Kill them," came Douglas's equally hushed reply, mirroring the thoughts that taunted Chase at every turn.

_Kill them._

Chase looked up, smirking.

_Kill them all._

* * *

Sly watched from the grate of an air vent as Chase passed under her.

His strides were eager and his hands-

Her eyes narrowed.

In one of his clenched hands, she caught a glimpse of the syringes.

She instantly knew where he was going.

No.

She wasn't going to let that happen.

She could still save him. She knew that now.

She just had to figure out how.

How could she bring her Chase back?

It almost seemed hopeless. He was so angry and dark and devoid of everything human.

Her eyes widened. She recalled the conversation she'd overheard with Douglas and some guy called Garvy when she was sneaking through the vents.

_"I call it Blasyn,"_ he'd said._ "It was designed to block all the receptors in the neural passageways of the brain that deal with pleasure and sympathy and fear. He shouldn't experience any guilt, any compassion, any happiness __-__ except for twisted satisfaction. He should be feeling only anger... hatred... bitterness..."_

_"You rid him of his humanity,"_ the other guy had replied.

Sly nearly burst into tears with happiness.

She knew! She knew how to fix Chase!

She had to give him his humanity back.

* * *

The door to the Davenports' cell crashed open with a resounding boom.

The family jumped to their feet, fear squeezing their hearts painfully.

They expected the worst to walk through that door, but they were disappointed - and relieved.

"It's you!" Bree cried with a smile.

"Name's Sly," she said curtly. "We need to leave. _Now._"

The family didn't have to be told twice. They scrambled out the door, Adam taking point, followed by Bree, then Donald who ushered Tasha and Leo ahead of him. And finally Sly, who glanced over her shoulder, down the hall behind them.

Her heart began to speed up and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. A chill washed over her, and she knew he was close.

"_Run_," she said, facing forward and pushing past the Davenports to take the lead.

Tasha and Leo and Adam followed her, but when Sly looked back, she saw Davenport and Bree hesitating. "Come on! _Come!_" she urged. The two laggards finally ran after her, and she focused on getting them to safety.

"Who are you?" Adam asked, coming alongside of her.

"I'm a friend of Chase," she replied, watching for their next turn. As they passed a hallway, she craned her neck to check that it was empty before looking ahead again.

"So... are you, like, his girlfriend or something?"

She actually stumbled but regained her footing before she fell on her face and tripped up everyone behind her. She glanced sharply at Adam, hating the blush that was surely creeping up her cheeks. "Do you really think now is the right time?" she snapped.

By the teasing smile on Adam's face, she knew that he wasn't taking her seriously.

Why'd she have to be such a teenage girl?

Stupid hormones.

Suddenly, she stopped at a closed door and pulled something out of her jeans' pocket. "Here." She handed it to Donald. It was a piece of folded paper with a crudely drawn map on it. A line drawn with sharpie revealed the path to the exit. "Get out of here."

Donald looked up at her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What about you?"

"I have unfinished business," she replied, anxious for them to go. "Leave. _Now._"

"It's Chase, isn't it?" Bree asked, although, everyone knew it was more of a statement than a question. "He's the one after us."

Sly's lips pinched together disapprovingly. Then she sighed. "Yes. Now will you please just go?"

"You can't face him alone," Adam said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He could kill you."

"I know that," she said, shaking off his hand. "But he won't."

"How can you be so sure?" Leo asked.

Sly's eyes focused on something behind them. "I just know."

The family turned and saw Chase standing at the other end of the hall.

He glowered at them, his fists clenched.

"Adam, you'll distract him," Donald said, not taking his eyes off his son. "Bree, you and I'll-"

"No," Sly interrupted, causing everyone to look at her in shock. She stared at them, her eyes firm yet imploring. "This fight is mine."

Donald was unconvinced. "I'm not sure you sh-"

"I can handle myself," she insisted. "I know what I'm doing." Before Donald could argue further, she pushed past him and the others and slowly approached Chase. She could feel their stares burning into her back, but she ignored them and focused on the person before her. "Remember me?" she asked him.

Chase tilted his head to the side, smirking. "You're the one who got away."

Sly mirrored his expression, holding up a finger. "Correction: _you_ let me get away."

"I should've just killed you when I had the chance," Chase said, casually tucking the syringes in his back pockets.

Sly stopped, cocking her head. "Yeah... Why didn't you, by the way? You had the perfect chance to kill me, but you let it slip right through your fingers."

Chase's expression was murderous, but he fumbled for words. "I..."

"You don't know?" Sly suggested, then shook her head. "The thing is, Chase, I think you _do _know." She took a step forward. He took a step back. "You know exactly why you didn't kill me." Her eyes were challenging. "It's because you _can't._"

"I can!" Chase shouted, his hand fisting in anger. As if to prove it, he lashed out with his other hand and picked her up using his molecular kinesis. He swung his arm and tossed her down another hallway.

Sly skidded along the floor until she came to a stop, looking up to see Chase advancing.

"Don't tell me what I can or can't do!" he snapped. "I _will_ kill you."

"Then do it!" she spat, crab-crawling backwards. "_Do it!_"

Chase let out a yell, blasting her backwards with a small force field. Before she got too far, he snatched her up by the throat kinetically, his hand outstretched and fingers slowly starting to curl.

Sly gasped for air, fingers clawing at her throat.

Chase's dark eyes bore into hers, his lips curled into a fierce snarl. Then he let her go.

Just like that, Sly fell to the floor, coughing and rasping. She looked up at Chase. "You can't kill me," she breathed, "because there's still some good in you."

The Davenport family had followed the two into the hallway, but Sly met Donald's eyes and gave a tiny shake of her head. _Stay away,_ she pleaded.

"You're still good, Chase," she continued.

"No!" Chase shouted. "I'm not! I never have been - can't you see that?"

Sly pushed herself to her feet, facing him. "No, I can't. You're just lost, Chase." She shrugged, giving a small smile. "We all are at some point. Sometimes we need someone to help us find ourselves."

"Shut up," Chase growled. With a thrust of his hand, he sent Sly flying through a pair of doors at the end of the hall.

They crashed open with a bang and Sly slid into a large room that looked like it could have been a large cafeteria at some point, heavily renovated to fit Douglas's needs. She stumbled to her feet.

The doors swung wildly back and forth until Chase blew them open and stepped through. He gazed at her with something akin to anticipation, like when a predator cornered its prey.

Sly looked past him to see the Davenports standing in the doorway, watching them fearfully. She had to make sure they didn't intervene, or they could ruin everything.

She lifted her chin and drew herself to her full height. "It's just you and me, Chase," she said, her gaze piercing his.

Chase sneered. "Not for much longer."

He went after her with dark fury shining in his eyes. But Sly knew he wouldn't hurt her. So she ducked away from his attacks without fear. She relied on defense, dodging and twisting out of the way. Then, suddenly, she switched to offense.

She kicked out one leg, forcing Chase to duck.

She somersaulted over his crouched form, rolling off his back.

He turned to face her and lashed out with his right fist, causing her to lean away. She smiled and twisted around him, her hair fanning out behind her. She kicked him lightly in the middle of his back, pushing him away before he could turn after her.

Donald and the others couldn't help but watch in amazement as she laughed, the two beginning to spin around each other as if... as if it were a kind of dance.

Chase's attacks grew less and less aggressive and more and more fluid. His face was brighter, his eyes losing their dark intensity.

Sly laughed again when Chase's kick arched at her head, forcing her to bend backwards, his foot cutting the air where her face had been. Their offensive moves no longer sought to hurt each other, yet they reacted accordingly to each other's movements.

They slipped into their routine, the one they would practice every day, every night ever since they'd met. It was their own special dance, the one thing that was solely theirs, and theirs alone.

The Davenports could only watch in awe as the dance began reaching the climax. They were moving so fast and so gracefully that there was little thought for anything else.

Everything in the background faded away until it was just them, in that moment, fighting, dancing together, just like they used to.

They were a flurry of twists and bends and kicks and somersaults. Their hearts were racing, their eyes were bright with challenge. A challenge to go faster, faster, faster.

They'd _never_ moved like this before, _never_ been this in sync before. Before, they had been just two teenagers having fun. Now, they were one being, joined together through hardships and... and _love_.

Sly vaulted over Chase, landing behind him. But when she turned around, she found herself staring up at his face, his eyes boring into hers. Their chests heaved for air, the only sound between them. She found herself staring into the hazel eyes she'd fallen in love with.

They were so clear and bright that the colors in his eyes left her breathless. She knew at that moment that there wasn't any color on earth as beautiful as his eyes were right then.

_Her Chase was back_.

She laughed, so relieved and frazzled she must've sounded insane. _But she didn't care_. Tears filled her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something, but Chase closed the gap between them and lowered his head to hers, pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her hard, his hands running through her hair to grip her head. It wasn't a sloppy, wet, or complicated kiss. It was a simple lip-on-lip contact, but it was something they both needed.

Sly, no - _Selena_, because now she felt like more than a nickname, more than just a friend - found herself lost in the kiss, so thankful that Chase was _Chase_ again.

They broke apart, Selena opening her eyes to find that Chase's tears had mingled with her own. She studied his eyes - gone were the black veins, gone were the shadows. With a sob of happiness, she threw her arms around him.

"You're back," she whispered, a hand gripping the hair at the base of his neck.

"Yeah," he replied, voice cracking from his own emotions. "I'm back."

She held him tighter. "You're an amazing kisser," she murmured, making him chuckle.

"So are you."

"Took you long enough."

Chase laughed, the sound light and _so amazing_. "You know me. I can be an idiot sometimes."

They pulled away and Selena punched him in the shoulder. "You got that right, jerk," she teased.

They smiled at each other for a moment, then Chase's eyes focused on something behind her, his expression turning to shame and regret. He took Selena's hand and walked past her, forcing her to turn and follow him.

Chase's family stood still, watching him approach. They couldn't believe it. The transformation had been so fast and so beautiful that they were speechless. It was too surreal.

It wasn't until Chase was standing in front of them that they began to worry.

What if it was a trick?

What if it wasn't really him?

What if the monster came back?

Chase's eyes were downcast when he spoke. "I am _so sorry_ for what I've done to you guys." He looked up, glancing at the girl at his side, then at his family as he continued. "I never wanted to hurt you. I-I..." He choked up, shrugging. "I love you guys. And I'm just really, _really_ sorry." He opened his mouth to say something else, but he didn't know what to say.

Selena looked over at Chase and squeezed his hand, smiling softly when his tortured gaze met hers.

Bree stepped forward, drawing Chase's attention to her. She looked like she was ready to slap him, but then her shoulders slumped and the anger faded from her eyes. She rushed forward and pulled him into a hug. "We're just glad you're okay now, Chase."

Chase let go of Selena's hand to wrap his arms around his sister.

"We're just happy you're you again," she continued in a whisper, giving him a tight squeeze before letting him go.

Adam came over and clapped Chase on the shoulder. "Yeah, dude. We should throw you a welcome home party, with pizza and pickles and everything."

Chase scrunched up his face, but laughed. "Ah, no thanks, Adam."

"But we will celebrate once this is all over," Tasha said, and Bree and Adam stepped back for Chase and Selena to see her. Tasha glanced at Donald. "We need to end this."

Donald tore his eyes away from his second youngest to look at his wife. "We will, Tasha. I promise." Then he faced Chase again and embraced his son.

"I'm so sorry," Chase sobbed. "I'm so sorry for everything."

"No," Donald said, gently pushing Chase away. "I'm the one who's sorry." He looked around at the rest of his family. "I should have told all of you the truth a long time ago. Maybe then things wouldn't be so bad right now."

"It's okay, Big D," Leo said. "But I really think we should talk more later. We still need to get out of here."

"Leo's right," Donald said. "But we also need to stop Douglas." Tasha opened her mouth to object, but he continued, "He'll just keep coming after us if we don't. We need to stay here and end this." He looked around at his family, every single one of them precious to his heart - even Sly. "Tonight."

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Two Hearts by Thomas Bergersen. The song would start at "**He went after her with dark fury shining in his eyes.**" as****if it was a movie or a tv show.**

**...Well? How was it? Was it really terrible and cheesy? I was half happy with it, mostly the way Chase was changed and his and Selena's moment afterwards, and half not with some other parts of the chapter. How did you like Chase's transformation? How was the rest of the chapter to you?**

**Please let me know, and I'll see you next time with Part 2.**

***whispers* If I can get ten reviews before Sunday night (April 5th), I might post the other two parts early on Easter. [Shut up, Conscience. Who says it's blackmail?] *still whispering* It's just a little extra incentive. ;)**


	14. Chapter 13 - Part 2

**Thank you guys so much! I got my ten reviews! Y'all rock. Y'all rock even if you don't review. At least you're reading this story. :) So, as promised, here are the last two parts of Chapter 13. You all are sooo lucky, because if I didn't get ten reviews, I was only gonna post part two, and that would've _sucked_... for you. *evil laughter* **

**To all my guest reviewers, thank you so much! I read all your reviews and they all made me smile, so thanks.**

**Okay, okay, I'll stop blabbering on now. **

**Enjoy... *maniacal laughter in the distance***

* * *

We're in a battle for our lives for the things

that really matter to us.

-Senator John Kerry

* * *

Tasha and Leo had been given the map to get out, and it was arranged that Selena would go with them, despite her protests.

She pulled Chase off to the side, desperation written on her face. "Please, don't make me go," she whispered.

"Why?" Chase asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"Because I just got you back and you expect me to leave you again?"

Chase smiled softly. "I will come back, Sly. I'm not going to turn again," he reassured.

They hugged briefly then turned back to join the others. Adam and Bree were conversing quietly while Donald was saying goodbye to Tasha and Leo.

"You know I love you guys, right?" Donald asked them. "And I'm so sorry you got dragged into this mess. You don't deserve this."

Tasha raised a hand to his face and cupped his cheek. "But we deserve you, and when I married you, I promised to love you through the thick and thin."

"I feel the same way, Big D.," Leo said. "You're a great father." He suddenly wrapped his arms around the inventor, holding tight. "Thank you," he whispered.

Donald returned the embrace, throat tight. When they pulled away, he clapped Leo on the shoulder, hoping he could speak past the lump in his throat. "I'm glad I have a son like you," he replied. Then he gave Tasha a kiss, prolonging it just enough for it to be sweet and caring.

"Come back to me," Tasha murmured when they broke apart. Then she turned and walked away before Donald could respond, because she knew that was a promise he couldn't make. Leo followed her after saying goodbye to Chase and Selena and Bree and Adam.

Selena wasn't far behind, glancing over her shoulder once to look back at Chase then turning and running after the Dooleys.

When the three disappeared out of the others' sight, Donald announced that he and Adam would scout ahead before they went after Douglas, leaving Bree and Chase behind to wait.

Five minutes later, they were still waiting, silence hanging between them as they leaned against a wall.

"How'd she do it?" Bree suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

Chase glanced at his sister out of the corner of his eyes. "How'd who do what?"

"Selena. How'd she fix you?"

Chase's lips pursed, then he sighed. "When Douglas injected me with the Blasyn, my brain was deprived of endorphins and the like. That's why I was so angry and dark all the time. Everything good in me had been literally drained away."

"Obviously not," Bree said, her lips twitching in a smile.

"Obviously. You can't completely stop the brain from producing endorphins or the body will stop functioning properly. So they were merely suppressed. But when Sly- er, Selena engaged me in that fight, I... I began to remember stuff."

"It looked like you two knew what you were doing," Bree commented.

Chase chuckled, looking down at the floor. "Yeah. We practiced that routine every day. You know," he said with a look at his sister, "we actually never mastered that routine before. We always messed it up somehow." He paused, thinking. "Anyway, I remembered stuff, like good memories kind of stuff. The memories began to produce large amounts of endorphins, enough that the Blasyn was completely purged from my brain by the end of the fight."

"So you're better now?" Bree asked. "Completely one hundred percent better?"

Chase was slow to answer. "Ah... Better, yes, in the sense that I won't try to kill you anymore. At least, not just for the fun of it. You and Adam still have the tendency to get on my nerves," he teased, raising an eyebrow at Bree, who punched him in the shoulder.

"Not funny," she whined, but she was smiling. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not telling me everything?"

Chase shrugged, looking down at the floor. "I'm better, yes. But I'm still the son of a psychopath." He sucked in a sharp breath, glancing up at the ceiling with watery eyes. "I'm still different."

"Chase Davenport!" Bree cried, then looked around warily when her voice was louder than she intended. Quieter, she continued. "You're nothing like Douglas."

He looked over at her, his face full of suffering. "Aren't I though? It's not just physically, but I find myself craving absolute power. Why do you think it was so easy for the Blasyn to take over? Not only did it amplify my powers, satisfying that craving that I always feel, but it was helped by what was already inside of me. All those thoughts I had under the Blasyn's influence," he said, his voice quavering, "were many of the same thoughts I've had my entire life, except the Blasyn was like steroids to my mind, making my thoughts ten times worse. I was already evil to begin with," he finished with a smile devoid of mirth and eyes filled with sorrow.

"Chase..." Bree whispered, at a loss for words. "Look, you may... You're Douglas's son, I'm his daughter. Adam's his son, too. We know this now. But Donald raised us to be better people than his brother. You are better than Douglas, Chase," she said softly. "Whether you believe it or not, you are."

Silence fell over them again, but it was a comfortable silence.

Then Bree grinned and bumped Chase with her shoulder. "What was the deal with that kiss?"

Chase blushed, fighting a smile. "That was, uh, spur of the moment."

Bree smacked him lightly on the arm. "Chase Davenport, don't try to deny the truth. You _looovvveee_ her."

"Shut up," Chase muttered, but there wasn't any ferocity to his words.

"I can't believe it!" Bree quietly exclaimed. "My baby brother has finally fallen in love!" She beamed a teasing smile at said brother, who was blushing furiously now.

"Chase has what now?" Davenport asked, having rejoined the other two bionics with Adam.

"Nothing," Chase said quickly. "Are we clear?"

"Yeah. We saw nobody. It's like they've all disappeared."

"They're most likely waiting to ambush us somewhere," Bree muttered.

"We know they're not on the floor above us," Adam said. "Chase totally fried that place."

Chase held up a finger. "Technically, I didn't _fry_ it-"

"You fried it." Adam's voice left no room for argument, but his eyes challenged Chase to try anyway.

Chase's lips pinched in annoyance. Then he sighed. "Fine."

Donald waved his hands to draw the focus back to him. "_Anyways_... The nullifiers on this floor are still working, so Douglas must have a back up system somewhere. Do you have any idea where that might be, Chase?"

Chase frowned, mentally going over the blueprints of the building. "The top floor was like Douglas's penthouse suite with his private office and control room and the cells he kept us in. This floor is basically a maze of smaller rooms, probably offices at some point. None of them are large enough to h- Ah, here we go. The floor below us is divided into two sections: smaller rooms and what could've been a cafeteria. My bet is Douglas is in the larger area."

"Good work, Chase," Donald said, already moving. "Let's go."

Chase and the others followed after him, their footsteps echoing in the halls.

Chase glanced over at Adam, who was running beside him. "You okay, man?" he asked quietly. "You don't look so good."

Adam looked down at his brother (although, admittedly, he didn't have to tilt his head as much as before) and gave Chase a tight-lipped smile. He ruffled Chase's hair, much to the eighteen-year-old's embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Chase smoothed his hair back to the way he liked it. "You sure?" he prompted, turning his attention back to Adam.

"Yeah. I just can't wait for all this to be over."

Chase hummed in agreement and they both quickened their pace to catch up to Bree and Davenport.

* * *

They made it to the cafeteria without a problem, which, in itself, was a problem.

"We have to assume that all of Douglas's guards are in that room," Donald whispered, jerking his thumb at the doors that blocked the cafeteria from view. "Our main priority going in is to find Douglas's controls for the nullifiers and shut them off. Chase, since yours are the only ones that work, you'll have to take the brunt of the attack and distract the men. Adam and I'll help. Bree, I want you to try your best to sneak around and find the controls. Got it?"

The three bionics nodded, brimming with anticipation.

Donald paused, studying his children with a smile. "I am so proud of you guys. I don't need to tell you how important these next few minutes of your life will be. We can't afford to lose this battle, but... I just want you three to know that I won't stop being proud of you, no matter the outcome."

Then he opened his arms, and they shared a final group hug.

The near future weighed heavily on their shoulders, knowing that this was it: this was the end. Whether it was a happily ever after or not, it all boiled down to the next few moments.

Pulling away, they all took deep breaths and marched down the hall - together, as a family. Douglas's attempts to break them apart had failed so far, and they were determined now more than ever to keep it that way.

With a quiet slam, Donald pushed the doors opened and stepped through, his children not far behind.

The room was huge, empty of furniture except for a long business table placed at the far end of the room to the left, and Douglas's backup controls at the opposite end to the right.

They had expected a challenge... and weren't disappointed.

All of Douglas's men had been assembled and waiting for them. And none other than Douglas stood at the frontlines, arms crossed and a smirk planted firmly on his face. But the smirk fell away when he caught sight of Chase, no longer under the effects of Blasyn.

"So," he snarled. "You found a way to turn him back." His eyes bore into Chase's.

The eighteen-year-old had to fight the urge to look away, the hatred in Douglas's gaze so intense that his stomach clenched in fear.

"Did you really think your plan would work?" Donald asked, drawing Douglas's attention away from his son. "Your plans have always been a little rushed and half-baked."

"I've had seventeen years to perfect this one," Douglas said dryly. "You can't stop me, Donald. I _will_ take those bionic brats."

"And you can't stop me, Douglas," Donald said earnestly, spreading his arms out to his sides then letting them fall. "You can't have my children."

Douglas laughed, harsh and bitter. "But they're not yours, are they? They're _mine_."

Donald glanced at his children, who stood on either side of him. They were watching him with trust shining in his eyes, and that was how he knew Douglas hadn't won. "You're wrong, Douglas," he said with a triumphant smile. "They might be your children, but _I'm_ their father."

Douglas's face darkened, and he turned away. "Take them," he ordered his men.

Donald's gaze snapped to Chase, who was watching him expectantly, and Donald nodded.

Chase gave a small smile before it disappeared. He stepped forward and took a deep breath.

Time slowed down, and for a few moments, all he heard was his own steady heartbeat.

Douglas's men rushed forward, about three dozen in all.

Chase closed his eyes and steadied himself, raising his arms and-

And all the men froze mid-step.

Douglas turned back in disbelief, eyes quickly narrowing at the youngest bionic.

Chase's face was pinched in concentration, sweat quickly starting to form on his temples and the back of his neck. "Go," he said to the others through clenched teeth. "I don't know how much longer I can hold them."

In fact, he could feel his control slipping already. Thirty-six men fought against his control, thirty-six wills combined to battle his own.

Donald and Adam ran past him, trying to disable as many men as possible. Douglas backed away, deeper into his ranks, bewildered.

Bree's eyes skimmed over the room, finally settling on what she was looking for. There was another cluster of islands with glowing countertops like the ones in the control room two floors up. She was about to run over to them, but a strained, "Wait," made her pause.

She glanced over at Chase, whose arms were shaking with effort. "Wait," he repeated, barely getting the word out.

She place a hand on his shoulder, hoping he could draw strength from it. "You can do this, Chase."

But Chase had already lost control. The first man broke free, yelling and launching himself at Adam. Then it was like a dam had broken, Douglas's agents an ocean of movement.

"Watch out!" Chase screamed just before an explosion of angry cries filled the room. The room came alive with a mass of moving arms and legs. Chase turned to Bree, nodding. "Go," he breathed before he sucked in a large breath and faced the fray again.

Bree returned the nod and took off running for the control panels, but she glanced back just in time to see Chase release a huge force field that swept over the men, knocking them off their feet, including Donald and Adam. She forced herself not to worry about them just yet and was about to focus back on her-

Her head snapped to the side from a blow to the jaw, and her feet slid out from under her. She crashed to the floor, looking up at a burly man frowning down at her.

* * *

Chase staggered, his heart racing and his head pounding. For a second, he was frozen in fear, afraid that the Blasyn was coming back. But then he realized it was just a normal headache, brought on from exhaustion and dehydration and malnutrition.

He looked up, wiping sweat away from his eyes. Donald and Adam were engaged in fights with several men at once, but a majority of Douglas's agents were still down. Chase lifted a hand towards a group of men then closed his fist. The agents fell back to the ground, unconscious.

"_Get him!_"

Chase's head snapped in the direction of Douglas's cry to see the man pointing a shaking finger in his direction. He was suddenly surrounded by men and was forced to move faster than he'd ever before.

Someone grabbed his arm - he blasted them away with molecular kinesis.

Someone threw a punch at him - he ducked and kicked them the gut.

He was a blur of movement. They couldn't get a hold on him. Because he was not only fighting for himself, but for his family. There was no greater motivation in life than fighting for the ones you love.

Douglas was screaming in the background, urging his men to take Chase down.

Soon he was surrounded by fifteen or more men. But he wasn't worried. He actually laughed. It was refreshing to know that Douglas saw him as a threat.

He yelled, and a force field pulsed out from his body and sent every single agent around him flying.

Donald and Adam were tag-teaming against ten agents and Bree was locked in her own battle with a giant of a man. Around Chase, men were sprawled on the ground either unconscious or struggling to get to their feet.

He looked up and found himself locked in a staring contest with Douglas, halfway across the room. He had a clear shot right to the man, and he took it.

* * *

Bree grunted, picking herself off the floor from where she'd landed after being tossed for the fourth time. "That's it," she groaned. "No more Miss Nice Girl."

When the muscular dude approached her, she swept her legs and knocked his feet out from under him. He fell, and there was a loud crack when his head hit the floor.

Bree held still, waiting for him to get up. When he never moved after a few moments, she cautiously crawled over to him, fearing he was dead. She saw the rise and fall of his chest and was relieved.

"Sleep tight, Big Guy," she said, patting him on the arm, then stood up.

She staggered over to the countertops and glanced at the glowing screens, hoping to see something to indicate where the nullifier controls were. Then she saw labels on the different islands and her eyebrows shot up in wary surprise. "Seriously?"

The one to her right was labeled "Bionic Nullifiers and Security Cams."

Bree couldn't believe her luck, but when she reached out a hand to tap on the screen, there were several quiet _pops_ and the screen in front of her splintered, cracks spreading out from three bullet holes in the glass.

"No!" she cried when the controls on the screen flickered, then went black. She looked around and saw that the agent she'd knocked out had stood up and drawn a gun with a silencer on it.

He sneered at her. "No more Mr. Nice Guy," he said with a mocking shrug.

Bree let out a yell and threw herself at him, knocking the gun out of his hand before he could fire again.

* * *

Donald shook his hand with a grimace after punching a guy's lights out. He was huffing pretty hard and he had a stitch in his side. "Man, I'm really out of shape," he gasped. No one attacked him yet, so he used the respite to glance over at Adam, who was barely winded. "Aw, come on. That's not fair."

Adam kicked the man he was fighting away and smiled at his father. "Well, you are pretty old there, Mr. Davenport. Do you need me to get you an oxygen tank?"

"Shut up," Donald snapped, but he was smiling. Two more men came at them, but they easily overcame them.

The ground around them was littered with Douglas's men, who were trying to pick themselves off the floor.

Donald reached down and dragged a man up by his shirt collar until they were face to face. "If I were you," Donald hissed, "I would get your buddies and get out of here."

"Why should we listen to you?" the man spat.

"Because if you don't, you and all these men are going to die. Is your boss really worth dying for?"

The man gaze at Donald in anger, but he relented. He shook off Donald's grip and straightened his shirt. For a minute, the two men held each other's gazes. Then the agent turned away and kicked an agent who was on the ground in the ribs. "Get everyone up. New orders from the boss," he lied. "We're clearing out of here."

* * *

Bree was crouched, panting hard, while the big man pointed the gun he'd retrieved at her head. His eyes were bright with glee, hers were hard with defiance. Just when she thought she was a goner, another man ran up and murmured something to the giant dude.

The man holding the gun pursed his lips thoughtfully and inhaled. "I guess it's your lucky day, princess." He tucked the gun in his waist band and smiled. "You get to live."

Then he and the other agent turned and began helping the others gather up the wounded and unconscious.

Bree watched it all in confusion then spotted Donald and Adam and jogged over to them.

"What's going on?" she asked, breathless, as she watched the agents begin to leave.

"I convinced them to get packing," Donald said with a smile.

Bree glanced up at Adam and noticed his pinched look. "Are you okay?"

Adam's face went slack almost immediately after she spoke, then he smiled. "Yeah, of course."

"Did you get the nullifiers turned off?" Donald interrupted, serious eyes piercing his daughter's.

"No," she said, feeling terrible. "One of Douglas's agents shot the controls before I could deactivate them."

Donald made a sound of frustration, looking up at the ceiling as he fought to control his anger.

"I'm really sorry," Bree said mournfully, thinking his frustration was at her.

"What?" Donald looked back at her, puzzled. "Oh! No, Bree, it's okay. It wasn't your fault. You did what you could."

Bree didn't look convinced, but she tried for a smile anyway.

"How are we going to defeat Douglas without our bionics?" Adam asked.

"We still have Chase," Donald said. "Speaking of which..." He glanced around, eyebrows knit together in worry. "Where is he?"

Suddenly, they heard Douglas shout something, and a horrible _crack_ split the air, followed by an anguished cry.

The three whipped around, their faces paling.

"_No!_" Donald yelled, lunging forward.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: They Hit Without Warning by Epic Score.**

**Haha, see what I was talking about before? That would've been a terrible cliffhanger, wouldn't it? But have no fear! Part 3 is here!**

**So how'd I do? Hate it? Love it? Please let me know. :)**


	15. Chapter 13 - Part 3

**So here it is. The final part of chapter thirteen. Let me just say...**

**Hold on to your butts. (One of my favorite movie quotes. Can you guess which movie?)**

* * *

When you care about somebody, you do what's best

for them even if it sucks for you.

-Anon.

We're all going to die sometime, so you might as well

die pushing the odds for something that matters.

-Karen Traviss, _Hard Contact_

* * *

Chase threw himself at Douglas, fist flying.

Douglas sidestepped and landed a fist in Chase's side, causing the teen to double over. The older man moved behind the teen and kicked Chase in the back, sending him stumbling away. Douglas marched after him, grabbing the teen by the hair. He tilted Chase's face up before punching it down.

"You were my greatest creation," Douglas hissed. "I gave you your powers. Is this how you repay me? After all I've done for you?"

Chase thrust out a hand and hit Douglas square in the chest with a blast of his molecular kinesis. The man went flying, crashing into a chair that was placed at the end of a long meeting table. The chair splintered to pieces under Douglas's weight.

Chase pushed himself to his feet and glanced around. Donald and Adam were still fighting, as was Bree. Douglas's men had been cut down until only a third was left standing.

"I'll just have to make a stronger batch," Douglas muttered to himself, drawing Chase's attention back to him.

"Oh, you mean this stuff?" Chase asked, pulling out the syringes of Blasyn he had stuffed in his pocket. He was surprised they hadn't broken yet.

Douglas glared at him. "It was defective," he spat.

Chase grinned. "It wasn't defective, but you know what they say - love conquers all."

Douglas yelled in frustration and wrapped his hands around the table leg next to him. He broke it off with a cry and climbed to his feet. He swung it at Chase, but the bionic jumped away, dropping the syringes. _That_ was enough to break them, the black liquid seeping out onto the floor.

Chase didn't have any time to make an offensive move because Douglas kept swinging. The man landed a lucky hit on Chase's shoulder, and the teen gasped in pain, a hand raised to his throbbing joint. The table leg was more like a club than an item of support; it was made of solid, heavy wood that wouldn't break easily.

"You may be my father," Chase rasped, "and you may have created my powers and Damia's powers and Bree's and Adam's, but Donald _made_ us. He made us heroes, he made us good people."

"Yeah?" Douglas asked, irritated. He stepped in close to Chase and grabbed the boy by the shirt. "But you have my blood flowing in your veins."

"Blood is such a small factor when it comes to family. We aren't limited by the sins of the father. They don't define us. _You_ don't define us."

Douglas gave a tight-lipped smile, dark eyes studying the bionic's face. "You may take after me physically," he murmured, "but you are your mother's son." He paused, looking down at the eighteen-year-old, face blank. "You and her are so alike it pains me." His expression suddenly turned cold and dark and he shoved Chase to the ground. "_You both were too weak!_" he shouted, raising the table leg over his shoulder and swinging before Chase could even react.

_Crack!_

Chase threw his head back with an anguished cry as fire erupted in his left knee.

He heard Donald shout, "_No!_" but Douglas was speaking again, capturing his pain-muddled attention.

"That was the weak leg, wasn't it?" Douglas asked with a smile. "Does the pain bring back good memories?" When Chase merely groaned, trying to back away using his elbows, Douglas's grin grew. "Well, here's something to remember _me _by."

Chase's eyes widened and he began to hyperventilate. "No, no, no, no, no... No, please!"

But Douglas already had the table leg raised and brought it down again. This time it collided with Chase's lower left leg, and a whole new world of pain was introduced to Chase, who barely managed to stay conscious.

Douglas knelt down next to Chase, pretending to study the broken leg. "Hmm... I'd say both the tibia and the fibula are shattered there, champ," he said, patting Chase on the thigh and thankfully not on the broken parts. "Good luck walking normal again."

"_Douglas!_"

Douglas looked up and stood at Donald's furious cry just as the inventor and Adam and Bree skidded to a stop next to them. "Get away from my son," Donald snarled, stepping over Chase's legs to give his brother a shove.

Adam slipped his hands under Chase's arms and carefully began to drag him away from the two adults. But despite his efforts to be gentle, Chase still cried out when his leg was jostled, sending needles of pain up and down his broken leg.

Bree was at Chase's side, murmuring soothing words and holding his hand. She tried not to wince when Chase's grip on her hand would become crushing whenever the pain got too bad. "It's going to be okay, Chase," she whispered, smoothing his hair away from his forehead.

Chase was barely conscious, his hair already matted with sweat. "Wh... What 'bout D'glas," he gasped, his eyes bright with pain.

Bree glanced over her shoulder to see Donald and Douglas locked in a fierce fight. "Dad's gonna take care of him. Now shhh..."

Chase's face suddenly fell in regret. "Dad... I haven't call'd him that in a..." He winced in pain. "In a long... t'me."

"Hush," Bree reprimanded him softly. "You were a kid then. You only stopped because he told you to."

Chase's face was etched with suffering that wasn't just physical. "'M so sorry," he said, a tear escaping one of his eyes and trailing down his temple. "I was so terr'ble to you guys and..." He inhaled sharply, his leg suddenly flaring in pain. "And Dad." He winced at how awkward the "Dad" rolled off his lips, yet his brother and sister seemed to have no trouble saying the word.

"We need to get him up," Adam said, adjusting his hold around Chase. "Brace yourself, shorty."

Chase scowled at the jest but didn't have time to retort because he was lifted to his feet before he could even open his mouth. His cry was muffled by his clenched teeth and tightly-sealed lips. His broken leg was held just above the floor, the brunt of his weight on his right foot and braced against his brother.

"How is he?" Donald suddenly appeared at their sides, gazing at his eighteen-year-old son in worry.

Chase missed Adam's reply when he used all his focus to seek out Douglas. The man that was ruining their lives was sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

"Hey."

Chase's eyes flitted back to Donald's face when the man snapped his fingers to gain the bionic's attention.

"Adam and Bree are going to get you out of here, okay?"

"But what 'bout you?" Chase asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.

Donald smiled, but it was anything but happy. "Someone's got to stay behind and take care of Douglas." Then he looked to Adam next. "Remember our plan. Two minutes."

"Wait," Chase interrupted, "what?"

But Adam continued on as if his brother had never spoken. "But why? Isn't there another way?"

"Douglas said he has this whole building on lockdown. I've got to unlock the exits and then get Douglas and myself out of here."

"Then we'll stay," Adam argued, "until you unlock the doors."

Chase and Bree, both lost, looked between the two men (although, Chase couldn't really see Adam since the big brute was supporting him from behind).

"Chase can't wait that long. You need to be waiting by the doors when they unlock so you can get him help as soon as possible. Adam, I will try my hardest to make it to you on time, but if something goes wrong - two minutes. Got it?"

"But how will I know that something went wrong? What if you were on your way when time runs out?"

Donald sighed. "Then that will be the price I pay to save you three and Tasha and Leo and-" he glanced fondly at Chase "-and Sly."

"You're not coming with us?" Chase asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Donald felt the tears prick at his eyes, knowing this could quite possibly be the last time he saw his children. "No, Chase. I'm not." He pulled Bree into a hug, kissing her on the crown of her head before letting her go. "I love you guys so much," he said, gazing at them with pride.

"But you have to come with us!" Chase cried. "Is it because of me? Because I'm so sorry," Chase whispered, eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and I know I was h-horrible to you, b-but you need t-to come with us because I can't do this without you an-and-"

Donald gripped Chase's head in his hands and stared the young man right in the eye. "Chase Davenport, you _promise_ me that you will never, _ever_ forget-" His voice cracked harshly and he inhaled, his lip trembling and his eyes watering.

"Don't you ever forget that you are _my_ son," Donald finished, tears escaping his eyes when he saw his son break at his words. The eighteen-year-old ducked his head and tightly gripped Donald's wrists in his own hands.

Donald shook Chase's head gently, forcing the teen to raise his wet eyes to Davenport's equally wet - but proud - gaze. "You are _my_ son," he repeated in a thick whisper.

Chase sobbed, nodding. Donald gathered his son into his arms in a crushing embrace, savoring the fact that his son - damaged, but whole - was warm and alive and would grow old and get married and have kids and just live his life.

Chase held on just as tightly, wanting to never let go. His face was tucked in the crook of Donald's neck, his hands fisting in his shirt and his tears soaking the fabric.

Then Donald was gently shoving Chase away, despite the teen's efforts to cling on just a little longer. The inventor's eyes were sad as he looked past Chase at Adam, who was trying so hard to be strong. "Get him out of here," he said softly, pushing Chase towards his older brother.

"What?" Chase gasped, his face bleeding of color. "What- No!" Adam's arms snaked under his little brother's again and wrapped around his chest, pulling him away. "_No!_" Chase screamed, fighting against his brother's solid hold, but with his broken leg, he couldn't do much. "Please, you have to come with us!" he begged, his desperate eyes meeting his father's.

Donald just smiled, a sad smile to match his sad eyes. He ignored Chase's plea and again looked to Adam. "Get them out, and get them home."

"No! _Please!_" Chase cried, clawing at his brother's arms.

Adam held Donald's gaze and nodded. "I will. I promise." His voice broke on the last word and he couldn't stop the tear that escaped one of his eyes.

Donald smiled. "Good man. Now _go!_"

Adam adjusted his grip on his brother and turned, dragging Chase with him, despite the eighteen-year-old's pleas and objections. Bree ran to Donald and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his arms hold her close. After a few seconds, she reluctantly pulled away, giving him a tender kiss on the cheek. For a moment, they simply stared at each other. "Tell Tasha and Leo that I love them," he said.

Bree nodded, choking back a groan. Then she turned before Donald could see her cry and ran after her brothers, feeling her emotions start to spiral out of control.

Donald watched them go for a moment, until they disappeared down one of the corridors. Then he took a deep breath and turned towards his brother, who was picking himself off the floor.

"Gonna kill me, Donny?" Douglas growled, still on his hands and knees.

But Donald ignored him and headed for the controls. When he got there, he saw the labels and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"My men can be idiots," Douglas muttered, now on his feet.

"Uh huh," Donald said with a hint of sarcasm, searching for the controls for the locks.

_Click_.

Donald froze.

"You know I can't let them get away."

Donald pursed his lips, looking up at his brother, who was pointing a gun at him. "And you know I can't let you have them."

"You know, Donny, as much as I hate your guts..." Douglas paused, adjusting the grip on his gun. "You're still my brother. Join me. We'd be _invincible_ together!" His eyes were bright with excitement. "We could rule the world if we wanted to!"

Donald's eyes were sad as he stared at his brother. "Douglas... You know I can't."

Douglas's face fell. "No, you _won't_." He sighed, studying Donald as if trying to decide what to do with him. "If you're not with me, I can't let you stop me."

Donald took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to squash the fear that wanted to spread.

"I'm sorry, Donny," Douglas said, and when Donald opened his eyes, he saw genuine compassion on Douglas's face. "I really am."

_Bang!_

Donald stumbled back, red blossoming on his chest.

Douglas came around quickly and grabbed his brother, gently helping him lean against the wall and slide to the floor. His touch was almost tender as he positioned Donald in a way that he wouldn't fall over. "These kids are too important to me," he murmured. Then he stood and went over to one of the islands, tapping something on the screen.

"In two minutes, this place is going to fill with chloroform," he said. He bent down to the cupboards that were installed in the island and pushed one of the doors. It popped open with a quiet click and he pulled out a gas mask. He straightened up and locked eyes with his brother. "If you survive that long, your death will be painless."

He started to turn away when Donald whispered something unintelligible, causing him to look back. "What was that?"

Donald licked his lips, his chest rising and falling slightly as he fought to breathe. "I said, Lucy... was right. There's... There's still good in you."

Douglas snorted in contempt. "Don't be ridiculous." But the sorrow in his gaze belied his attempt at indifference. He paused a moment, his eyes downcast. "Say hi to Mom for me." Then he turned, slipping on the mask, and was gone.

Donald inhaled sharply and pushed himself up, fighting the dizziness and nausea. He stood unsteadily, one hand against the wall. He took deep breaths to quell his fear, but some still remained.

This was it.

He really was going to die here.

Heat washed over him - he was so angry that his vision blacked out for a moment. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to leave his family.

His family.

His family...

Donald stumbled away from the wall. He couldn't die. Not yet. He had something to do first.

He fell against one of the islands, nearly crying out in relief when he read the label "Building Security." He hefted himself up enough to free his hands. They shook as he tapped on the screen, his vision going blurry.

He must've hit something without realizing it because several videos popped up, under a tab that read "Backup Security Feeds." He barely gave them a second glance, but then something caught his eye.

There were his children, waiting outside a heavy metal door. Adam was straining to open it while Bree supported a barely-conscious Chase. Donald sniffed. He realized that he would never see any of his children get married. He'd never walk Bree down the aisle and give her away. He'd never get to see any of his grandchildren. Tasha would grow old without him...

He heard the hiss of pipes as they released the chloroform into the air. He was running out of time. But he couldn't find the stupid controls! He couldn-couldn't- he-

With a cry of frustration, he slammed his fist on the screen, tears dripping off his chin.

For a few seconds, there was only silence and his labored breathing. Then...

_Ding._

"Locking system disengaged," the computerized voice said.

Donald sobbed, closing his eyes. The relief he felt was almost dizzying. He wiped away the tears, watching the security video. Watching his children escape to safety, to freedom. He smiled, knowing that they would get to live their lives.

Then he caught sight of Douglas in a separate feed, striding down a hall, chasing after his children.

Donald's knees gave out, blackness pushing at the edges of his vision, his chest tightening painfully.

There was still one more thing he could do for his children. He reached out with a quivering hand and tapped the screen, using the last ounce of strength he had.

He collapsed to the ground, maneuvering himself until he was leaning against the island, his legs spread out in front of him.

"Locking systems engaged," the voice reported back. Was that a hint of sadness? Did it realize the consequences from that action?

Donald could barely keep his eyes open. His body was wracked with shivers, the front of his shirt stuck to his skin, scarlet red. He smelled the sweetness of the chloroform as it entered his nostrils, tempting his mind to sleep.

But he couldn't - not yet.

"C'mon, Adam," he whispered, his mouth dry. "C'mon."

Nothing.

"You can do it," he encouraged as if Adam could hear him. "Do it."

Then - there. There it was - the slightest tremor around him that grew until it was a roar, shaking the entire building and sending pieces of the ceiling and walls crumbling to the floor.

Donald smiled, his strength leaving him completely until he was as limp as a rag doll. "Good man," he breathed, then his chest fell still.

* * *

Outside, Adam stood with his arms outstretched towards Douglas's compound while the ground heaved underneath it.

Tears shone in his eyes and his body shook as his heart was tearing itself apart.

"_Adam!_" Chase cried. "What are you _doing?!_"

Adam's face scrunched up in suffering, his chin trembling. "Following orders," he said, trying to sound strong yet unemotional even though he couldn't be farther from either.

"But Dad's still in there!" Chase argued, straining against Bree and Sly's hold, but with his broken leg, it wasn't much. "Adam, no! _Please!_"

Adam tuned out Chase's pleas - he was already feeling terrible.

"I'm just following orders," he whispered, more tears slipping down his cheeks as the building collapsed in a cloud of dust.

* * *

_Donald and Adam were scouting ahead before they went to confront Douglas when Davenport pulled Adam aside and spoke quietly. "I need you to listen to me __-__ and listen good."_

_Adam nodded, eyes dark with seriousness. "What is it?"_

_Donald bit his lip, glancing back the way they came, where Bree and Chase were waiting for them. "Douglas is going to do everything in his power to keep us from escaping. You and the others are going to get out because I'm going to buy you some time."_

_Adam's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Wh__-__"_

_"You're gonna get out... and you're going to use that terra ability you got last summer," Donald interrupted. "You're going to destroy this building."_

_"What about you?" Adam asked, dread growing in his gut._

_Donald just stared at him sadly. "Give me two minutes, but if I'm not out by then..." He saw that he wasn't convincing the oldest bionic. "Adam, Douglas needs to be stopped __-__ no matter the cost."_

_Adam opened his mouth to object, but Donald's voice was final._

_"Two minutes," he repeated, eyes boring into Adam's. "Then you bring this building down."_

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack #1: Fatal by Critical Mass. Honestly, I don't know if this song works for this chapter. If anything, it would only describe Chase and Douglas's fight. But I just had to use this song. It's so cool.**

**Chapter soundtrack #2: Translucent by Immediate Music. I don't think I have to tell you what scene this song describes. You can pretty much tell by the tone. ;)**

**Hahahahaha... *crickets* So... uh, hate me now? Ah, yeah - I'm gonna start running now. ****Seeyounextweek!**


	16. Chapter 14

**Hello! Chapter fourteen is here! Thank you guys, again, so much for the reviews for chapter thirteen! **

**To the guest who asked if there could be a story about Chase's and Damia's relationship... maybe. ;) Thank you for that idea. The (short) story would take place in the four months between her arrival at the Davenports' mansion and the hospital mission. It's still just an idea, but thank you, guest.**

**So, enjoy chapter fourteen, everybody. **

* * *

At certain moments, the foot slips; at others, the ground

gives way. How many times had that conscience, furious

for the right, grasped and overwhelmed him! How

many times had truth, inexorable, planted her knee

upon his breast! How many times, thrown to the ground

by the light, had he cried to it for mercy!

-Victor Hugo, _Les Misérables_

* * *

Chase stared at the building that had just been reduced to rubble before his eyes, a plume of dust billowing up and over them, dusting their clothes.

No...

This wasn't happening.

It couldn't be real.

_It couldn't._

"No," he sobbed, everything forgotten - the pain in his leg, where they were, what happened - everything except _his father was dead_. Crushed, under tons of stone and plaster and wood and metal.

But he wasn't dead. No - no, he _survived._ He was a little banged up, sure, and trapped in a pocket of space, but he was alive. He needed to be alive.

"I- I have to..." Chase's chest felt like it had just been rammed into by a herd of elephants. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think other than that he needed to go over and search for his father and he needed to do it _now._

Tasha was weeping in the background, on her knees, with Leo standing behind her, expression frozen in shock.

Bree and Selena were holding Chase up, Bree crying on his shoulder while Selena murmured words of comfort to him through her own tears. But he couldn't hear them. He wouldn't feel any comfort until he found his dad.

"We need to look for him," Chase said, swallowing back his sobs. He looked over at Selena and saw her pained look. "We have to look for him," he repeated.

"Chase," Selena whispered as if she were about to deliver bad news to a ten-year-old.

"No," Chase said firmly. "He's alive. But he won't be if we don't look for him!"

"_He's dead!_" Bree screamed, punching his shoulder - _hard_. "He's dead, you idiot!"

"You're wrong!" Chase yelled, and in a fit of rage, he thrust her away with his molecular kinesis. "He _is _alive. He's still in there, waiting for us t-to dig him out, s-so we have to go now and-"

Suddenly, Adam was in front of him, squeezing his shoulders hard enough to be uncomfortable. "Chase," he said, his voice stern. "Chase, Dad _is_ dead. He's not coming back."

"You're lying," Chase cried, feeling the tears prick at his eyes. "And aren't you the one who buried him?! This is all your fault!"

Adam pinched his lips together and ducked his head, his body wracked with emotions. "I know," he said thickly, looking up again. "But it's what Dad wanted."

"_Shut up_," Chase snapped. "Just shut up. He-he wouldn't want to...to be _crushed _under _an entire building._" Then he froze, eyes wide. His heart squeezed painfully as he finally let the tears come. "He's dead," he choked out, the horrible truth finally setting in.

"Yes, Chase," Adam said mournfully. "He is."

Chase's eyes drifted away, wide with grief. Then he paused, his eyes hardening and narrowing. "I hate you," he whispered, looking back up at Adam. "I _hate you!_" He shrugged off Selena's hold and collapsed against his brother, pounding his fists on Adam's chest. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you..."

Adam didn't bother to stop him. He deserved it and more. So he just held his little brother. It was all he could do while Bree and Selena and Tasha and Leo watched on.

It wasn't long until Chase grew exhausted, leaning against his brother with his face buried in Adam's shirt and his hand fisted in the material. "It's not fair," he groaned, hiccupping from crying so hard.

"I know," Adam rasped, gently rocking back and forth.

"H-he... di-ied for us," Chase said in misery.

Adam pushed his brother away by the shoulders until he could look Chase in the eye. "_Yes._ Because he loved us."

Chase closed his eyes, forcing more tears out, and rolled his head in self-hatred.

"I know, I know," Adam rushed. "Why are we worth dying for?" Adam tried for a smile, a desperate, sad smile. "We won't understand it. Not until we're parents ourselves."

"But he's _not here!_" Chase cried. He shoved Adam away but instantly regretted it. By pushing Adam, he unbalanced himself and had forgotten about his broken leg. The moment he put the slightest bit of weight on his bad leg to steady himself, searing pain shot up his calf and into his thigh and collapsed his hip, sending him crashing to the ground.

But before his knees could hit the dirt, Bree was suddenly _right there_, helping to lower him carefully to the ground. "Chase," she pleaded, her dust-covered face streaked with tears. "We can't argue," she said insistently. "We need to stay together. Dad _died_ so we could stay together."

"But it's so hard," Chase whined. "He's always been here for us. He _always_ held us up."

Bree smiled, "We just have to hold ourselves up now."

Chase ducked his head, his face hot, his shoulders shaking. "Haven't we lost enough already?" he whispered harshly, looking up to search Bree's face.

Bree pulled away slightly, slapped by the truth of Chase's question.

First, they lost their simple life, even as bionic-ly complicated as it was.

Then Damia. Their strong, warm, loving sister.

Then Chase, when he left for two years. Heaven only knew what he lost during that time.

Their attempt at normalcy.

Their home, destroyed by the FBI.

Their view of themselves, destroyed by Douglas and Donald's past.

And now their father.

"We've lost too much," Chase said, continuing to whisper. "We try to do the right thing - and this is what we get? We fight for good, to protect people - and this is how we get repaid? How are we expected to get through this?" Sure, they were bionic. Technologically advanced human beings. But that was just what they were: human beings.

They were human - easily broken, not easily put back together.

They still bled, still hurt like every other human being.

Bree didn't have an answer. She merely bit her lip and breathed through her runny nose. Then she exhaled. "Tasha and Leo need us, now," Bree soothed, with a glance over at her mother and brother. She turned back to Chase. "We need to be strong for them."

"But who will be strong for us?" Chase asked, his chest tightening painfully.

Bree looked at her little brother with love and sadness. "Isn't that what being a hero is? Supporting others even when we ourselves are broken? _Sacrifice?_"

"I don't want to be a hero," Chase argued, anguish shining in his eyes. "Not if the costs are this high."

Bree pinched her lips together to keep them from trembling, even though the rest of her body was. She leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes. "I can do this," she whispered. "We can do this. _You_ can do this." She opened her eyes and pulled away.

Chase was shaking his head. "I can't."

She reached up and placed her hands tenderly on the sides of his head. "Yes, _you can_. We'll get through this. You'll see. One day, when we're old and grey, we'll look back on this day and say, 'We _survived_.'"

Chase met her gaze, finding pain in her eyes, but also strength and courage that was far greater than her suffering.

"We survived, Chase," she repeated firmly. "Donald sacrificed his life so we could live ours. So let's not disappoint him."

Adam came over and placed a hand on Chase's shoulder, grimly smiling down at him in encouragement. Then Selena crouched down next to Bree and Chase and placed both her hands on their shoulders, adding her support.

All four of them looked over at Tasha and Leo expectantly. Adam held out his other arm, beckoning them.

Tasha, still grief-stricken, was helped to her feet by Leo, who was whispering words of encouragement in his mother's ear. Together, they slowly walked over to the others, and Adam wrapped his arm around Tasha's shoulders, pulling her close.

They all bowed their heads and said nothing. They were suffering, yes, and would suffer for a long time. But at least they'd suffer as a family.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Human by Christina Perri. I love this song for its raw intensity, and I just knew I had to use this song as a chapter soundtrack.**

**This chapter was honestly one of my favorites to write because of all the emotions and turmoil that the family would feel after witnessing their father crushed.**

**I realize that this chapter, and especially this entire story, has made all of the characters OOC. I'm sorry for that, for those who want the atmosphere that the show has. I am not good at writing that kind of atmosphere/genre. But what I realized about myself is that I don't mind characters being out-of-character if the plot is substantial and exciting and dramatic enough and gives the characters good reasons to be OOC, and I hope that this story is the same for you. Maybe I'll try to write a Lab Rats story that's not part of my AU and try to capture the essence of the show. But that's a big maybe.**

**Anyway, moving on.**

**How was it? Good or eh or terrible? What are your thoughts on this chapter? Please let me know. :)**


	17. Chapter 15

**_Wow! _Eighty reviews? You guys are amazing. I was literally just... I was so blown away when I saw the total reviews. I am so grateful for all your kind words and praise, and I'm even grateful for those who just let me know that they can't wait for the next chapter, never forget that. ****I will reply to my guest reviewers in the ANs below.\l/ (That's my failed attempt at an arrow.)**

**Yay! Here's chapter fifteen! Sorry it's so late, but I didn't get many chances to write it this week. I've been having a rough time with everything that's been going on and now I have a cold too, so... yeah. It's been crazy.**

**I just want y'all to know that I am not a government expert or FBI expert nor am I a music expert. And I should've said this a while ago, but I am not a science expert or a brain expert. A lot of the Blasyn stuff was based off of what little information I could actually understand.**

**Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. I kinda rushed this chapter. Hope you guys like it.**

* * *

If we will maintain our hope and confidence in the

genius of our people, they will work out this problem,

and their ability and industry will bring us

back to normal conditions.

-Frank B. Kellogg

* * *

When the FBI caught wind of a freak earthquake at the edge of Washington, D.C., they sent out three teams that rushed to the scene, arriving before anyone else. They found the family considered to be the country's most dangerous enemies clustered in front of a collapsed building.

The three bionic weapons seemed surprised to see the FBI but they surrendered without a fight.

The FBI called an ambulance and sent the youngest bionic human to the hospital under heavy guard. There he'll be operated on and detained once he got out of surgery.

The others - the older bionics and the three civilians - were taken into custody and to the FBI headquarters to be secured and interrogated.

All the family members were split up, placed in different rooms to be questioned. Many hours they waited - bored, hungry, exhausted - in those small empty rooms with nothing but a table and two chairs to keep them company. But finally, the FBI agents entered the rooms with "apologies for the long wait." Then they got started.

"What were you doing at that building?" they asked the mother.

"We were captured by a psychopath," she replied.

"Who?" they asked the oldest bionic.

"Douglas Davenport, who turned out to be our father," he replied.

"Why?" they asked the bionic girl.

"He wanted to turn us into weapons. And to have revenge on his brother, Donald," she replied.

"And where is Donald now?" they asked.

This was were the family paused, their hearts clenching and their eyes blurring.

"He's dead."

"Dead."

"Dead."

_Dead._

"Do you think he could've survived?"

"No."

"No."

"...No."

_No._

"What about Douglas?"

"No way."

"Never."

"No."

_No._

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely."

"There's no way they could've survived that."

_Yes._

"You understand that you are threats to this country, right?"

"But we haven't done anything!"

"All we've done is _help_ you."

"We'd never hurt anybody!"

_It's unfair._

"Please, just understand," the family would each plead in their own words. "We're the good guys," they would say, each in their own way.

"What's the relationship like between the bionic humans?" the FBI asked the stepson.

"Uh... It's a good relationship," he replied.

"Do they argue often?" they asked him.

"Well... Yeah, but-"

"Has their arguments ever jeopardized a mission?"

"Y...yes, but-"

"Have they ever gotten out of control?"

"S-Sometimes! But you ha-"

"Are they a danger to others?" they asked.

"...What?"

"Are they... a _danger_, Mr. Dooley?"

"Okay, first of all, it's _Davenport_, and sec-"

"A yes or no answer, please."

"It can't be answered in a yes or no! They're h-"

"A yes or no answer!"

"Ple-"

"_Yes _or_ no?!_"

"_Yes!_"

The room was silent except for the stepson's heavy breathing. Triumphant smiles crept onto the FBI agents' faces.

"That'll be all, Mr. _Davenport._"

In the other rooms, things were just as intense.

"You and your brothers be incarcerated indefinitely," they told the bionic girl.

"What?" she gasped.

"You and your brother and sister will also be placed under extensive study," they told the oldest bionic.

"We're not lab rats!" he exclaimed.

"You'll be lucky to see the light of day again," they told them both. "After tomorrow, you can kiss your freedom goodbye."

They told the widow, "You and your son will be released shortly. We'll be watching you, though. You could've been charged with treason for helping to hide the bionic weapons, but we're letting you go on the pretense that Donald Davenport threatened you-"

"What? He didn't threaten us!" she cried.

"-and coerced you into keeping the weapons secret."

"It didn't happen that way," she said with tears in her eyes. "Please don't do this."

"Please don't do this," the oldest bionic whispered.

"Please don't do this," the bionic girl rasped.

"Please don't do this," the stepson begged.

_Please don't do this._

All of them were ignored.

* * *

"How are you involved with the Davenports?" they asked the girl, the non-bionic one.

"I'm a... mutual friend."

"How'd you _get_ involved with the Davenports?"

"What do you want to hear? That they kidnapped me and brainwashed me to be their _friend_?"

"Did they?"

"Of course they didn't. Look, I didn't even know their bionic secret until a few days ago."

"How'd you find out?"

"They did an amazing magic trick- I read their files, you-" she had to physically bite her tongue from insulting _the FBI_ when she saw them frown disapprovingly.

But the frowns never disappeared, even though she managed not to call them snot-eating butt scratchers. "How did you get access to the files? We confiscated all of them."

"I hacked your systems," she said nonchalantly, examining her nails.

Their faces reddened. "That is a capital punishment, young lady."

"It's a good thing I did, too," she snapped. "Because you're making a horrible mistake by tagging them as weapons. They're _human_ just like you and me."

"No, they're not, sweetheart. They're monsters. They're unnatural."

"But aren't we all monsters, in our own unique ways?" she countered. "They're only unnatural because they're _different_. Different doesn't always have to be bad."

The room fell quiet as a staring contest was being waged between one agent and the girl, neither willing to back down.

"You're just a child," the FBI agent finally said, packing up his files. "What do you know?"

The two agents opened the door to leave.

"I'd like my phone call," she said.

They paused in the doorway, glaring back at her.

"Please?" she asked in a polite, mocking way.

The agents just left, shutting the door behind them. But one came back a little later with a phone for her to use.

"Hey," she said, speaking into the phone after the person she'd dialed had answered while the agent waited with crossed arms. "It's me. We're, ah, in a _situation_." Her tone was innocent, but there was an underlying edge to it. "We could use your help and that lucky charm of yours. Can you help us out?"

The agent watched suspiciously as she listened to the person on the other end of the line.

"Okay, great!" she said in a happy tone that was half authentic and half forced. "Thanks so much, Uncle Ed. Say hello to Aunt Dee for me. Okay... Yep, bye." She hung up the phone and turned back to the agent, a genuine smile on her face. "Thank you."

The agent merely grunted in response and took the phone, leaving her alone in the interrogation room.

She sat back in her chair, a smirk playing on her lips.

* * *

"Who'd she call?" Agent Derin asked distractedly once the other man had returned. He was flipping through all the files littering his desk, trying to take it all in.

"She called her uncle."

"Her Uncle Henry?"

"No... Uncle Ed."

Agent Derin looked up suddenly. "What?"

"She called her Uncle Ed. Her uncle and Aunt Dee... Sir?" The young agent's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Agent Derin had his palms laid down on his desk, his head hanging down as he fought to control his anger. "You _idiot_," he hissed, slowly looking up. "She doesn't _have_ an Uncle Ed or Aunt Dee." He was suddenly moving around his desk, heading for the door. "She was playing us. We need to figure o-"

But it was already too late.

"Sir!" someone yelled, and another agent rushed into the room, face flushed. "You really need to turn the TV on," he gasped.

"What channel?" Agent Derin asked, reaching for the remote on his desk.

"All of them."

Derin looked over at the agent to see if this was some kind of cruel joke, but the man's face was deadly serious. He pushed the power button on the remote and the TV came to life. His face paled at the people he recognized on the screen.

"No," he murmured. "No, no, no, no..." He flipped through the channels, but the video never changed.

"We can't shut it down or intercept it," the agent said, having caught his breath. "Sir, everyone will know. Everyone will know about the bionics now."

Agent Derin stared at the screen, his face taught with anger. But he said nothing. Instead, he watched, just like billions of other people around the world were at that very moment.

* * *

At precisely 5:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, TVs all over the globe went black. Their owners furrowed their brows in confusion and flipped the channels only to find no difference.

When a voice came over the speakers, they realized it wasn't a malfunction.

"Don't be alarmed," the voice said, a young girl's voice. In regions where no English was spoken or not well understood, the voice was transmitted in those peoples' native tongues.

Sounds in the background like a desert wind poured through the speakers.

"Some of you may believe what I have to say. Some of you might not. But what if I told you that superheroes really did exist? Some would say that our superheroes are the people who fight to defend our countries, our law enforcement. Some would say that the heroes are those who stand up for their beliefs, or those who protect the weak."

A picture suddenly appeared on TV screens everywhere. It was a picture of a family of five kids - three boys and two girls - and their parents. They were frozen in time, smiling and laughing, bunched up under an oak tree that grew next to a wooden fence. Beyond them, a field of tall grasses and flowers spread to the horizon. Golden sunlight slanted through the leaves and made the family seem like they were glowing with happiness and warmth.

A lilting sound echoed in the background while that coarse desert wind still blew.

"This is the Davenport family. They're not like you and me, but they're exactly like you and me. These people right here are the true heroes. They have saved your lives and mine countless times - and we never even knew it."

* * *

By this time, each family member had been given a tablet with the very same recording playing. They all watched it in their separate rooms, confusion written on their faces.

Chase, who was out of surgery and lying dazedly on his bed with one of his wrists cuffed to the bed rails, was watching the TV and fighting to stay awake.

* * *

The picture disappeared and was replaced with video clips of the family saving the world.

The sounds quieted for several moments until a drum resounded and a delicate flute flowed through speakers.

There they were on their first mission, stopping the runaway train from blowing up the town of Welkerville. Then came other clips - their fights in the simulators, the time when they saved the particle collider, when they saved Leo from the falling air conditioning unit - it was all there. All their accomplishments.

Each video showed the progression of the bionic teens. They showed how they matured and grew older into who they were meant to be - heroes.

The flute swelled with several rolls of the drums as the girl spoke over the music.

"Adam, Bree, Damiana, and Chase are bionic humans, technologically advanced beings. They were given special abilities so they could save the world."

Bree was using her super-speed to save a little boy and his mother from a collapsing building. Chase was hurriedly trying to shut down a nuclear reactor that was about to explode. Damia was fighting though her pain to crawl towards the menacing BML machine, and when her outstretched fingers grazed the base of it, it poofed into a cloud of fine, metallic dust. Adam was carrying an unconscious woman in his arms as he coughed against the green poisonous gas in the air.

"They've never asked for anything in return - not recognition, not gifts, not even a thank you card. They could've chosen not to save us countless times. What's a few less selfish people in the world? But no, they chose to save us selfish people because that's just who they are. Their abilities are amazing and frightening, but they've never used them for anything but good. That has to count for something, right?"

* * *

Selena was the only one not given a tablet. But she didn't mind. She didn't have to see it because she was the one who made it.

So she sat quietly in her cell, instead, smirking triumphantly at the wall across from her as the video played out in her head.

* * *

With the ringing of a gong and the distant sound of a bagpipe that was gradually growing louder, the clips changed to videos of the teens, of the family, arguing amongst each other in several different occasions.

They showed the many disagreements between Chase and Adam, how they verbally and sometimes physically attacked each other. They showed Bree arguing with Donald on several occasions. Sometimes they showed someone walking away from the other, disappointment or anger written in their expressions.

"They're not perfect, though. Why should we expect them to be? They may be super, but they're still human. And to be human is to be flawed. Sure, they'll argue and fight, and, sure, it may seem like they're the most selfish beings on earth sometimes, but in the end, they'll pull through. They always pull through."

* * *

The bagpipe couldn't be ignored now, it's soothing pitches rising and falling, and capturing the ears' attention. The scene suddenly changed, and just like the snap of a finger, the Davenports all choked on their tears because...

* * *

...because there was Damiana, laughing with the family in homemade videos. She and Bree hugged in one clip, smiling at the camera then making weird faces and laughing afterwards. There she was with Adam, wrestling with each other, but it wasn't a very productive fight since Adam had her locked in a playful choke hold that she couldn't wriggle out of. Finally, she just gave up, laughing.

"This is their sister, Damiana."

Damia and Tasha were having a wacky dance party in the kitchen as they fixed supper, while the person holding the camera was filming secretly behind the couch.

"She was an amazing person. Her family loved her dearly."

Now she and Leo were down in the lab, plotting to take down the pesky security system. When the camera moved in closer to them, Damia looked up at it with a huge smile and laughed, her mouth moving to words unheard.

* * *

Chase felt a tear slip out of the corner of his eye as he watched his twin, the drop of water trailing across his temple until it disappeared into his hair. His heart ached just at the sight of her. It hurt so much that he wished he could just switch it off.

* * *

The music climaxed into a sound that was so uplifting and inspiring that people couldn't help but feel the music's tug at their hearts.

"She had a long, happy life ahead of her."

The next clip showed her and Chase relaxing on the couch, with Chase's legs lying across her lap, his one knee still wrapped in a brace and his crutches on the floor next to the couch. They were talking and smiling at each other, but when the camera got closer, they turned to it and had split reactions. While Damia laughed and waved at the camera, Chase let his head drop back onto the arm of the couch and pretended to groan, but his smile foiled his attempt. Damia whacked him lightly on his thigh, and put on her serious face, talking to him. Chase obeyed whatever she'd said and turned to the camera, giving a wave and a smile.

"But she was killed, murdered. She's gone, her future torn away in an instant."

But despite the speaker's words, videos of Damia kept playing in the background, and in every single one of them, the bionic was smiling. She was always smiling.

"This family has lost so much. They lost a sister, a daughter, and before that - their chance at normalcy. They managed to recover some of their old life, but things were never the same again. They went back to living again, but just a few days ago, their home was destroyed by the government, who found out about their bionic secret. This family, who had done nothing but save our lives over and over and over again, was arrested because the government was _scared_."

Scenes of the bionics' captures caught by security cameras played next. They showed Adam being chased in the store he worked at, only to come outside and find himself surrounded. They showed Bree being whisked away from her fiancé and taken down like a rabid animal. Lastly, they showed the destruction done to the Davenport mansion, being torn apart by bullets and small missiles.

"These people never deserved this," the girl's voice said, filled with emotion. "They have never once asked for anything in return for helping you, me, our friends and family. Never! But now's your chance to do something for them."

The instruments peeled away until all that was left was the gentle flute and rhythmic violins and resounding drums, but neither instrument lost their ability to encourage.

"Fight for them! Fight for their freedom! Fight in any way you can. Sometimes even heroes need rescuing. This time, it's your turn to be the hero."

The scenes switched again, back to when the family was happy. Sometimes Damia was in them, sometimes she wasn't, but each clip she was in, everything seemed brighter and everybody seemed happier and almost always smiling. The videos slowed down in tempo, lingering on a cheerful face here and a teasing glance there, while the music continued to lift the hearts of those that were watching.

The last scene was a picture of the family back at that field near the fence and the oak tree. This time, Damia was sitting on one of the lower branches of the oak, smiling down teasingly at Chase who had his arms crossed and a smirk on his face as he looked up at her. Bree and Adam stood leaning against the fence, watching their younger siblings in amusement. In the shade nearby Tasha and Donald kissed each other sweetly while Leo's face was screwed up in exaggerated disgust at his parents.

"You may not have bionics," the girl continued. "But you do have the power to do something."

The picture faded and the music with it, but in the hearts of everybody who watched, the music played on.

Then televisions everywhere popped back to life as regular programs resumed.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: The Inspiration by Alex Mason. This is the song I tried to incorporate into the chapter with the video. Some of the music scenes I described might not match up while listening, because it all depends on how fast you read. If you want to try to match them up, it helps to read slower.**

**To the guest who asked if Chase was about to commit suicide: No. I would never write that. I hate reading it, I hate writing it, and I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but I hope you and all my other readers can understand. **

**To the guest who asked for a Damiana and Chase oneshot: Of course I read your review! I read everybody's review, but I'm just sorry I can't respond to everybody all the time. I do try, though. And the oneshot won't be written until after I'm done with this story, so it shouldn't be long.**

**To AllAmericanSlurp: (to your review for chapter 16) Well... Blasyn!Chase _was_ fun to write, so... Maybe. ;) Now, if Donald came back, it wouldn't be a plot twist since everybody's expecting it, would it? I'm so happy you got to read the three chapters in a row! *Wipes brow* Phew, you dodged a bullet there! (to your review for chapter 15) You watch Teen Titans too? Yay! My friend got me into them a while back, but I haven't watched them for in a long time. And I love your comparisons, haha. Thank you so much for your praising review and who cares if it's a run-on sentence because run-ons are so awesome when you want to show how excited or happy you are and now I'm excited and happy even though just a little while ago I was completely ready to pass out and it's just this run-on sentence that's got me going and I just want to say thanks again for your review 'cause what you have to say means a lot to me and *gasp* I'm done now. (to your review for chapter 14) The chapters were posted pretty close together, and, yes, I did get my ten reviews. I really, really, really appreciated (and I still do appreciate) your help with getting your friends to review!**

**To the guest with three points to their review: First off, I'm really glad you like my story; second off, it's actually Garvey who ruined Donald's life; third off, I answered your question in #2. :)**

**Sorry for the long AN note, but it needed to be done. So, anyway, please tell me what y'all thought of this chapter and I'll see you guys next week.**


	18. Chapter 16

**Hello, my awesome readers. Welcome to chapter sixteen! This chapter isn't nearly as intense or emotionally stressing as some others, but for those who cry easily, maybe you should grab a tissue. And for those who don't cry easily, well... maybe you could shed a fake tear or two for me. **

**I've read this over several times, but I'm sure there are still some grammar/spelling mistakes in there somewhere, so please forgive me for those. **

**_Oh!_ Did anyone catch my hint as to whom Selena called in the last chapter? If you want to go back and try to figure it out, go ahead (_psst_, pay attention to the names she addresses). If you don't want to try figure it out for yourself, then you'll find out in this chapter.**

* * *

May the love hidden deep inside your heart find

the love waiting in your dreams. May the laughter that

you find in your tomorrow wipe away the pain

you find in your yesterdays.

-Anon.

* * *

"It doesn't feel real."

Chase turned at his sister's voice, which was quiet and somber.

The Davenports were riding in the SUV provided by the FBI. Tasha sat in the front passenger seat while an agent drove them home. Chase and Bree occupied the window seats in the middle row with Selena between them while Adam and Leo sat in the back.

Selena was passed out from exhaustion with her head on Chase's shoulder. Her breathing was even and her face was relaxed. To Chase, in her sleep, she looked like the innocent sixteen-year-old girl she should've been. Like him, like his brothers and sister, she was forced to grow up too fast.

Chase glanced over her at his sister, who was watching the familiar buildings pass by with sadness.

"It doesn't feel like home," she murmured, briefly meeting Chase's gaze before turning back to the window.

Chase hummed in agreement and looked outside his own window.

For a moment, the only sounds to be heard were the muffled roar of the engine and the soft breathing of Adam, Leo, and Selena, who were all sleeping peacefully.

Chase turned and observed Selena for a few seconds before gently pressing his lips to her hair, giving her a light kiss. He closed his eyes and leaned his head down against hers, breathing in the sweet smell of her shampoo.

The events of the past two weeks replayed in his mind and his broken leg throbbed as a reminder.

Had it only been two weeks? It felt liked it'd been months since they'd last been in Mission Creek.

Then Chase remembered that he technically hadn't been home for two years and two weeks. Seeing his old home again made it painfully obvious how much they'd changed and how little it hadn't.

Two weeks ago, his family had been snatched from their home, he'd been turned into a mindless monster, and they'd lost their father - and husband, in Tasha's case. Then the FBI had inserted themselves back into the equation, the family's secret was exposed, and they spent the whole week after in the agency's clutches while the FBI tried to make up their minds.

When the video hijacked all the TV stations in the world, riots broke out everywhere. The people, so awestruck and grateful, had bought the Davenport family their freedom. They'd protested against the FBI and anyone else who dared to interfere. They'd fought against the injustice of it all. In the end, everyone had banded together and made themselves heard, and for once, the government actually listened.

Selena had explained everything when the family was finally allowed to see each other. They'd met in Chase's hospital room, since he still couldn't be moved quite yet. She explained how she'd hacked into the FBI to destroy the files they had on the family while simultaneously discovering their bionic secret-

"Wait," Bree had interrupted, "how'd you feel about that?"

"I was shocked and confused. It was hard to believe," Selena replied. Then she glanced over at Chase, who was lying on the bed and watching her sadly. "But I was mostly hurt that a secret like that had been kept from me for so long." She paused, then shook herself to get back on track. "Anyway..."

Anyway, while she'd been scanning the files, a creepy, rude, sarcastic, arrogant, snobby emoticon had hacked her own computer and tried to scare her off. But when he saw that she wasn't going away, he agreed to work with her. They made the video as a contingency plan, in case the FBI had hard copies of the files somewhere and still came after the family, even after Selena and Eddy destroyed all their data on the Davenports.

It was a good thing they'd made the video - dubbed the "lucky charm" - because all their foresight had become a reality.

"You really do care for her, don't you?"

Chase snapped back to reality at Bree's voice, glancing up to see his sister smiling at him.

"Shut up," he mumbled lightly, a smile tugging at his own lips. He lifted his head and looked out his window, watching Mission Creek High School pass by.

"I wasn't teasing," Bree insisted, her expression serious. "It's good to see that you finally found someone."

Chase searched his sister's eyes for any sign of mockery but all he saw was earnestness. He nodded and said, "Thanks." He fell silent for a moment, looking down at his hands. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak and looked up to find that his sister was still watching him. He paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "What?" he asked with a wary smile.

"Nothing," she said nonchalantly, but he could tell something was on her mind. "It's just... my little brother's all grown up now."

Chase chuckled, blushing. He watched the scenery outside blur past for a moment before looking back at Bree. "Did you finally find someone?" he asked.

Bree's expression turned sad and her gaze fell away. "I thought I did. He probably never wants to see me again, not after the FBI incident and especially not after our secret was exposed."

"You never told him that you were bionic?"

Bree shrugged. "I thought I wouldn't have to. D-" Her voice caught, and she took a deep breath and tried again. "Dad had stopped putting us on missions and I thought that I would never have to use my bionics again. I never wanted him to find out about me this way."

Chase was silent, unsure what to say. After a moment, he settled on, "Look, if he really loves you, he'll accept you for who you are."

"I'm not worried that he won't accept me. I'm worried that he won't forgive me for keeping my bionics a secret."

Chase wanted to comfort her more, but just then, the FBI agent pulled into their home's driveway. While Tasha unbuckled and got out of the car, Chase nudged Selena to wake her.

"Yo, Doofus One and Doofus Dos," Bree said, leaning over the back of her seat to whack at Adam and Leo. "Wake up!" The two boys in the back groaned as they dragged themselves out of the comforts of sleep, and Chase, Bree, and Selena slid out of the car.

"So this is your home?" Selena asked, handing Chase his crutches before turning to look at the road winding through the expensive neighborhood.

"What's left of it," Chase murmured, now leaning on his crutches for support.

At the tone in his voice, Selena turned around and gasped, raising a hand to her mouth.

The FBI agent backed the car out of the drive once the entire family was out of the car and their luggage had been pulled out of the trunk.

Adam and Leo placed their bags on the ground in shock, coming to stand by Tasha, Bree, Selena, and Chase.

The mansion, their beautiful home, was just a burnt skeleton of what it used to be. The house had collapsed in on itself, leaving only the frame of the ground floor standing. Jagged edges of crisp wood jutted out here and there among the rubble.

"No," Bree whispered, face pale.

Beyond the framework was the valley with the sun beginning to set behind the distant mountains, the golden rays silhouetting the charred wood and making it appear even darker.

Chase looked past their destroyed home at the city and sunset. The air was silent, so the echoes of city life easily reached their ears, a soothing sound. The rays of the sun bathed them in a warm glow, with a gentle, cool breeze tugged at their hair. The scene itself was so serene and beautiful and nostalgic that Chase had to close his eyes and take a deep breath to keep himself from being overwhelmed.

When he opened his eyes, he was the first one to take a step forward with the help of his crutches, and then another, and another - until he found himself among the rubble, picking his way through the charred remains. His family followed him, searching the ground for anything that could've survived.

"What happened here?" Selena asked, looking about her.

"They must've burned it down," Leo replied, standing where he thought the entryway was supposed to be. "It must've been the FBI." He shook his head, looking like he wanted to yell and scream and shake his fists at the sky.

Everyone else just stared blankly around them, not yet ready to believe that their only home was gone forever, the memories burnt down with it. Well, not really - they still had their memories, but the memories were just like ghosts now. Even if they rebuilt the mansion exactly how it was, it would never be the same.

Chase maneuvered through the debris, trying not to get his crutches snagged on the rubble, but something caught his eye, making him pause. He placed all his weight on his good leg and moved his crutches into one hand so he could bend down, careful to keep his cast-bound leg from touching the ground. He picked something up, holding it gingerly as if it would crumble to dust in his hand.

It was a picture frame, the glass cracked and soot-covered but otherwise intact. The frame was wooden, so he was surprised it survived the fire.

Chase placed the crutches back under his arms so he could free his hands. He wiped away the soot and frowned sadly. It was the picture that Selena had used in the beginning of her video, the one that showed the family together and whole, the one he and Bree had stared at three years ago, not long after Damia's death.

Chase looked around him and spotted several other frames, picking them up. One was the picture of just him and Damia leaning against the same fence as the one in the other photo. One was the other picture Selena had used in her video and the last picture was of the family inside the mansion in front of the staircase, with the orange sunset behind them. That picture had been taken a little while after Donald had finally let the bionics out of the basement. It was their first family picture together.

Chase found it ironic that all that was left was memories. Memories of their life before Harrison, memories of their dad, memories of their sister. So many memories and not enough realities. Why did they have to lose Donald and Damiana? Why did they have to be the collateral damage of Donald's past mistakes?

Chase shook his head and snapped back to the present. He set the pictures down in a place where he could easily find them again and limped off.

The ruins now seemed suffocating and he just had to get out and get away from it all because he suddenly found he couldn't breathe and he just needed-

Chase had made his way out of the wreckage and onto the grass. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, eyes raised to the cloudless sky above, tinted yellow and orange by the setting sun.

He looked down and found himself facing the valley and mountains, the same sight he once used to see everyday after Donald let them upstairs. It all seemed so foreign and so familiar to him at the same time that it was disorienting.

"It's beautiful here." Selena came up beside him and watched the city below.

Chase nodded. "When Donald agreed to let us out of the lab and not ship us off to Facility X, the sunset that day was just as vivid as this one. It was..." He smiled, closing his eyes. "It was _amazing_. I had never experienced anything so warm and alive in my entire life."

Selena couldn't help but smile at his words, at the passion in them. She felt the tears prick at her eyes as she watched him, his eyes bright with emotion as he went back in time to when things were so much simpler.

"That evening, I sat on the roof and just watched the sun go down..." he stretched out an arm towards the sun and gradually lowered it, "ever so slowly." His arm fell back to his side. "Donald found me up there," he murmured. "He sat next to me and we just watched the sunset for a while." Tears shimmered in his eyes as he continued soak in the warm rays. "When the sun had almost disappeared, he, ah... He told me that my life was about to change in many different ways than I could ever imagine. He told me about high school and what it was like. He told me about jealousy, anger, fear... but he also told me about love." Chase glanced at Selena, whose heart skipped a beat.

"He told me the power of love, how it could end up being the best thing that ever happened to me... or the worst. He said that love wasn't just limited to girlfriends but to family, too. He told me that the world was going to change Adam, Bree, and me, but that we shouldn't let it break our bond, that we should try harder than ever to preserve what we had together in that basement for fifteen years." Chase paused and smiled at Selena. "But then he said when it did come to girlfriends, the love should be slowly nurtured and that a girl was to be treated properly - like a lady, no matter her age."

Chase turned back to the sunset, his smile falling away as a tear escaped. "He said one last thing to me that night, with just a few golden rays peaking over those hills. He told me, 'This sunset marks the end of your old life, the one that was sheltered and protected. Tomorrow's sunrise marks the start of your new one, filled with challenges and pain. But there will also be laughter and love and adventure like you've never experienced before. And with tomorrow's sunrise, I know that you and Adam and Bree will find many more ways to make me worry and cry and turn my hair grey. But you'll also find more ways to make me _proud_.'" Chase fell silent, wiping at the tears trying to fall.

Selena was quiet, going over everything he'd just told her. She was at a loss for words, but her mouth was already moving before her brain caught up. "You remembered all that?"

Chase snorted out a laugh, a smile tugging at his lips. "He actually said 'turn my fabulous hair grey' but I omitted that part since it would kinda ruin the moment."

Selena laughed softly. "Yeah, it kinda would."

The laughter died away and they were left in silence again for a moment.

Chase felt another tear escape the corner of his eye. "He should be here," he said, his voice thick and shaking. "He should be with us to help us rebuild our home and to help us move on from all this."

Selena bit her lip, blinking away the tears. "Look, you know my history with parents. I never could get them to stay. They ran away from me because they couldn't take the responsibility. Your father left you, but he didn't run away because he hated you or thought you were the worst mistake of his life. He died because he loved you. You should know that. Isn't he the one who taught you about the love of family?"

Chase nodded, glancing down at his feet. "I want to be angry at him. I want to _hate_ him for leaving us. For years he never failed to remind us how much of a genius he was, but that..." He shook his head and pinched his lips together. "But that _stunt_ he pulled... It made him look really _stupid_."

Selena nodded. "Sacrificing your own life for the ones you care for is the greatest act of love there is. It's so pure that it leaves everyone left behind feeling dirty and guilty. But what he did is done. He's not coming back, we can't change that."

Chase's face was taut with displeasure, his good leg bouncing from his pent up emotions.

"But what we _can_ do," Selena said, "is look at this sunset as the end of our old life, one filled with suffering and pain. Tomorrow's sunrise will be the dawn of a new life, where we rebuild and live the lives Donald wanted us to have. We'll get through this."

"Will we?" Chase asked, his voice trembling. He peeked over at her to catch her reaction. "Will we really? I mean, we can't just forget everything that's happened."

"No, we can't forget. But I promise _you_, Chase, that I will be here for you every day. When the nightmares get too bad or you need someone to just be there for you, all you need to do is ask. I will be by your side every second if you want me to be."

Chase stared at her with an emotion that Selena couldn't decipher, but she held her tongue, knowing he'd speak when he was ready.

It wasn't long until he was. "I don't deserve you," he murmured. "You should be hanging out at the mall with friends right about now, talking about clothes and girl stuff. You should be doing something fun and not hanging out with a damaged person like me."

Selena smiled. "You're absolutely right, but..." She punched him lightly in the shoulder. "I happen to like hanging out with a damaged person like you. And if you let me, I'll help you glue yourself back together."

More tears fell as Chase desperately tried to hold it together. "I'd like that very much," he replied, gratitude shining in his eyes.

Selena nodded with a small smile, then stepped forward and embraced him. Chase let his crutches fall away so he could hug her back, no longer afraid to let someone help hold him up.

* * *

Bree and Adam found themselves standing next to each other in the wreckage of their home. For a while, they didn't speak.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Adam asked softly, breaking the silence.

Bree looked up and followed his gaze over to Chase and Selena, who were standing near the edge of the hill. Their forms were outlined by the setting sun that fell between them. "No," she answered. "None of us will be. Not for a while."

Adam kicked at one of the charred boards. "Tasha's got her work cut out for her," he joked weakly. "This place is a mess."

Bree smiled despite his failed attempt at humor, shaking her head. She turned, however, at the sound of tires on blacktop and saw a rust bucket of a car pulling into the driveway. Her heart sped into overdrive and she suddenly felt lightheaded. Swallowing, she began to make her way over to the car just as the driver stopped it and turned it off.

The driver waited until she'd reached him to get out, and when he did, he stood behind the open door, his one arm resting on the hood of the car and the other on top of the door.

Bree stopped several feet away, rubbing away the goose bumps that appeared on her arms not entirely because of the decreasing temperature. "Hey, stranger," she said, not daring to come any closer.

Lance Decker nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey."

"So you know, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

Suddenly, Bree felt like she needed to make him understand why she'd kept her bionics a secret, so she tried. "Look, I'm so sorry that I never told you about my secret, but I didn't think I'd have to because I never used them anymore and you never had to find out-" by this time, Lance had stepped from behind the car door, shutting it, and started walking over to her, but she found she couldn't stop, tears building in her eyes "-and I should've realized that I was stupid and should've let you know how much of a freak I am and-"

Lance closed the distance between them and bent his head down to hers, kissing her. "Just shut up," he whispered when they broke apart briefly for air before kissing her again.

Bree smiled and laughed, pulling away so she could wrap her arms around his neck and hold him close. Her cheeks were wet with her tears, but she didn't care.

"You are still the most amazing girl I have ever met, Bree Davenport," he said, hugging her tightly. "Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you."

Bree sobbed, but the smile never faded from her face.

"That's why..." Lance trailed off, letting her go so he could rifle through his pockets. Bree stepped back with a furrowed brow to see what he was doing. Lance finally found what he was looking for, pulling it out of his pocket. "That's why I brought you this."

Bree choked down another sob, placing a hand over her mouth as she squeezed more tears from her eyes.

Lance bent down on one knee, just like he did two weeks ago. "Bree Davenport, I'm here on my knee to ask you to marry me... again."

Bree laughed, letting her hand fall away.

"For a while, I was angry that you didn't tell me your family's bionic secret. But then I saw all the heroic things you've done and I realized, 'Wow, that is my future wife, saving the world ten times over.' I still don't understand why you hid something like from me, but I can understand why you'd want to hide your bionics."

Bree tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing down at her feet.

"Your abilities won't scare me away," Lance continued, looking up at her. "I think what you can do is beautiful." He opened the velvet box he held in his hand. "I believe you dropped this."

Bree gasped. "You found it."

Lance stood up and took the ring out of the box, turning it over in his hand. "I saw it fly off your finger as they took you away. After the FBI let me go, I went back and looked for this for hours. I finally found it alongside the road, under a pile of leaves."

He held out his hand, and Bree placed her left hand in his. He slipped the silver band onto her ring finger, the diamond glinting in the last golden rays of the sun.

"I'd like you to be my wife, to have and to hold, forever, because I love you. And not even death or FBI or bionics will stop me from loving you."

Bree smiled, studying his eyes and the way the sun highlighted the green in their irises. "I will gladly be your wife," she said, clasping her hands behind his neck. "If you can accept my bionics, then... I guess I can accept that death trap of a car behind you."

"What? Wendy?" Lance feigned hurt. "You're insulting Wendy?"

Bree laughed. "I refuse to call her- it! I refuse to call _it_ Wendy."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "We'll work on that later."

Bree pursed her lips, knowing that he'd never win against her. "We'll see about that." She tugged on his arm. "C'mon. Let's go join my family."

When they passed through the wreckage of the mansion, they found everybody sitting on the hillside, watching the sunset. Bree plopped down between Adam and Chase, while Lance lowered himself down on the other side of Adam. Tasha and Leo sat together next to Selena, who leaned against Chase.

"Well?" Chase whispered to Bree, looking at her imploringly.

"Well what?" Bree asked.

"Where's the 'you were right' speech?"

"Excuse me?" Bree said in a hush.

"You know what I mean," Chase said with a teasing smile. "I told you he'd accept you for who you are if he really loved you."

"_Pssh_," Bree hissed, rolling her eyes.

"Come on," Chase taunted, nudging her with his shoulder. "You know I was right. Admit it."

Bree shook her head, grinning.

"You know you want to," he said in a sing-song voice.

"Alright," Bree relented. "I'll admit it... You... are my pesky little brother. There, done."

"_Nooo_. C'mon, tell me I was right."

"Fine!" she exclaimed. "You were right."

"I know," Chase replied, leaning back on his elbows with a satisfied smile on his face. "I'm a genius."

Everyone groaned good-naturedly, except for Selena, who laughed. Leo looked across his mother to stare at her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you trying to make his ego even more ginormous than it already is?"

Selena met his gaze sheepishly and shrugged. "What? It was funny."

"You hear that?" Chase asked. "I'm hilarious. _Ow!_" he exclaimed with a laugh, rubbing his arm where Selena punched him.

"Don't push it," she warned.

"Okay," Chase said, surrendering.

Silence fell over them as the sun disappeared behind the mountains and a cool breeze caressed their skin.

Then Chase broke the silence again. "'I'd like you to be my wife, to have and to hold, fore-'" Chase yelped then chuckled when Bree jabbed him in the side, causing him to startle. But the sudden movement jarred his injured knee, sending spikes of pain up and down his leg. "_Ow ow ow ow ow_..." he said, sitting up straight and trying to ease the pain.

"Serves you right, you little eavesdropper!" Bree exclaimed, her cheeks blushing. "You are such a brat!"

Then Adam opened his mouth and quoted, "'Not even death or FBI or bionics will stop me from l-"

"_You too?!_" Bree raged, turning on her older brother. "He told you?"

"Every single word," Leo chipped in. He and Chase reached across Tasha and Selena to high-five each other.

Bree's frustration growl interrupted the peaceful evening, followed by the laughter from the rest of her family, including Selena and Lance.

And so they sat, as the sky grew darker and the city lights grew brighter, laughing with each other and letting themselves just have fun. Because all of them knew that tomorrow promised a new start, a new life to rebuild broken bonds, form new ones, and strengthen the ones that already existed.

The dark skeleton of their burned home rose up oppressively behind them, but that, too, would be torn away and something more beautiful built in its place.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack: Earth Behind, Unknown Forward by Mattia Cupelli (Fan-made Interstellar soundtrack).**

**Well? How was that? What did you think of the Davenports' homecoming? It's nice to see them no longer under any threats of impending doom or captured by psychopathic fathers and blind government officials. **

**So, I plan on only two more chapters after this one, but that might still change - who knows. But I'm planning on two. Just for your general information.**

**Please let me know what y'all think, and I'll see you guys next week with chapter seventeen.**


	19. Chapter 17

**Ugh. I know I'm a day late, but that's not why I'm groaning. This chapter is not my finest work. It's probably really sappy and pathetic. I basically wrote all of it in just a few hours last night. I didn't get it done until later that night, and by the time I had read it over, I was exhausted. Plus, I still hadn't found a soundtrack. So I waited until today. Please don't kill me! You won't get the next chapter if you do!**

* * *

They never quite leave us, our friends who have passed

through the shadows of death to the sunlight above;

a thousand sweet memories are holding them fast

to the places blessed with their presence and love.

-Margaret E. Sangster, _They Never Quite Leave Us_

* * *

"Donald Davenport was an extraordinary man who did extraordinary things."

The day was bright, but the sun seemed to lack the warmth it usually had. The leaves of trees rustled in a chilly breeze.

"He committed his life to helping to improve others'."

People stood with bowed heads around a gravesite, where a coffin was suspended above a gaping hole in the earth, patiently waiting to be lowered into the ground.

"And he gave his life to save his family."

There was something unusual about this particular funeral, however. No one dared to dress in dark colors. After all, they weren't just there to mourn - they were there to live and move on.

"Donald had made many mistakes in his life, many that he wasn't proud of."

The pastor's voice was soft with emotion but loud enough to be heard. All gathered before him listened with attentiveness yet at the same time lost in their own thoughts that were consumed by the one person who wasn't there with them.

"He wished he could've done things differently with his children, who deserved a better life than the one he'd given them."

There were a few sniffles at that, men and women alike brushing away their tears.

In all, there were fifteen people standing near that coffin.

Chase and Selena, Bree and Lance, Adam, Leo, and Tasha stood at the front. Grandma Rose and Damiana's foster parents, who'd raised her since she was a baby and knew Donald very well, stood in the next row, including three of Donald's closest coworkers. Even Eddy, with a robotic body, and Principal Perry were there.

"He managed to make up for some of his wrongdoings later in his children's lives by giving them a chance to finally live as normal teenagers," the pastor read, looking up and around every now and then. "He strived to give his wife everything she could ask for... and everything she didn't."

Tasha smiled sadly, remembering their wedding day. It had been magical.

"He tried to be the coolest stepdad ever to his son."

Leo grinned, remembering all the crazy things he and Donald had done over the years. Like that one time with the _Pig Zombie_ marathon, or the time when they tried out the hexacopter... and broke it.

"Even though they were technically his niece and nephews, he loved them as if they were his own children."

Chase, Adam, and Bree glanced at each other, sharing small smiles.

"And it's with heavy hearts that we put this brave man to rest now. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for his family, a debt that they will never be able to repay. But they should never feel the need to pay off that debt, because those who sacrifice out of love expect nothing in return."

As the pastor spoke, the casket was slowly lowered into the ground, carrying its precious cargo, recently found among the rubble of a building thousands of miles away, into the depths of the earth.

And with each load of dirt that was shoveled onto the coffin, a memory washed over each family member in turn.

A slice as the shovel was pushed into the soil.

* * *

_"What's the world like, Daddy?"_

_"Now, Bree __-__ what did I tell you about calling me that?"_

_"I'm sowrrwy, Mr. Davenport."_

_"Better."_

_"But you never answored my qwestion."_

_"...The world is big place, Bree."_

_"Why can't we go out there?"_

_"Because the world isn't ready for you yet."_

* * *

A scrape as the dirt was hefted onto the shovel.

* * *

_"What's wrong, Adam?"_

_"Why am I so dumb, Mr. Davenport?"_

_"You are not dumb, Adam."_

_"Yes, I am. Chase said so."_

_"Chase didn't mean that. Look, Adam, you're not dumb. You're not stupid. You see the world in a way we can't. That is an intelligence far greater than mine or Chase's. Understand?"_

_"Yes, Mr. Davenport."_

* * *

The soft patter of dirt as it fell on the lid of the beautiful coffin.

* * *

_"Hey, Chase."_

_"Hey, Daddy."_

_A sigh. "Chase__-__"_

_"I know, I know... Mr. Davenport?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Why am I not strong like Adam or fast like Bree?"_

_"Chase, we've been through this before."_

_"I know, but it's not fair. They always pick on me."_

_"They're your brother and sister. That's what brothers and sisters do. What Bree and Adam don't realize yet is that the mind is the most dangerous weapon the body has. You don't have to be strong like Adam or fast like Bree to be a hero."_

_"Really?"_

_"Of course. You can do so many things with your mind. You just have to learn the right way to use it."_

_"Thanks, Mr. Davenport."_

* * *

Slice, scrape, patter. Repeat.

* * *

_"Hi. Are you Tasha Dooley?"_

_"Yes... Are you Donald?"_

_"Donald Davenport in the flesh!" _

_"Wow... You're more handsome than your profile picture let on."_

_"I know, I'm awesome."_

_A mumble. "And more cocky, too."_

_"What?"_

_"Nothing!"_

* * *

Gradually, people began to walk away until only the Davenport family and their two new-additions-to-be were left.

* * *

_"You're Leo, right?" _

_"Yeah. And you're the self-obsessed billionaire."_

_"You forgot to add 'extremely handsome' in there."_

_"Uh-huh. You're going to take care of my mom, right?"_

_"Leo, I _promise_ that I will take care of your mother. I won't let you guys down."_

_"That's what my last dad said."_

_"I'm not him, Leo. I promise on my life that I will always be there for you."_

_"I'm going to hold you to that."_

_A smile. "Okay."_

* * *

But soon, even Selena and Lance left, giving the family their time alone.

* * *

_"Daddy! You're back!"_

_"Chase, I've told you this a thousand times__-__"_

_"Actuwally, it's only been nine hundrwed and sixty-seven."_

_"My point is __-__ don't call me 'daddy'."_

_"Why? You are our dad, right?"_

_"Of course I am, Chase. And even if I wasn't, I'd still love you as if you were my own son."_

_"But why can't we call you 'Dad'?"_

_A chuckle. "Always with the _why_'s. Because, Chase, we need to be professional. You want to be a grown up, right?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"Well, grown ups call me 'Mr. Davenport'. Doesn't it feel cool to sound like an adult?"_

_"I guess so."_

_"Then it's settled, Chase. No more 'daddy' talk."_

_"...Okay."_

* * *

_"Ugh! Mr. Davenport!"_

_"What is it, Bree?"_

_"Can we _please_ adopt girl or something?"_

_"What did Adam and Chase do now?" _

_"They filled my entire capsule with rotten fish!"_

_"I knew I was missing a barrel!"_

_"A barrel of rotten fish? Seriously? Why on earth would you have a barrel of rotten fish lying around?"_

_"...No reason. I'll go deal with Adam and Chase later."_

_"You mean never, right?"_

_"What? No! I'll go talk to them, I promise."_

_"Excuse me if that's a little hard to believe. You always take their side!"_

_"That's not true! Bree, you're my only daughter. You mean more to me in ways that the boys never will. Of course I'll go talk to them. I promise."_

_"Thanks, Mr. Davenport."_

* * *

_"So how am I doing so far, Leo?"_

_"What do you mean, Big D?"_

_"Remember when you asked me if I was going to take care of your mom and I promised I would?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"So how am I doing?"_

_"You're doing great, Big D. I'm really glad to have you for a dad."_

_"Thanks, Leo. And I'm glad to have you for a son."_

_"You make my mom happy. That's all that matters to me."_

_"You're a great kid, Leo. You look after your mom. Promise me you'll never stop."_

_"I don't have to promise. Looking after my mom is as instinctive as breathing."_

_"Good man, Leo. I'm proud of you."_

* * *

_"You're handling this well, Tasha."_

_"Believe me, Donald, it's more than a little unsettling when you find out your husband has bionic super-humans in his basement. But yeah, I'm handling it."_

_"You're a strong woman. I knew that if you ever found out that you'd be okay with it eventually."_

_"Really?"_

_"Absolutely."_

_"How can you be so sure?" _

_"Because you remind me of someone I used to know. You both are strong, independent women with kind hearts."_

_"Should I be jealous?"_

_"No. She was just one of my best friends during high school. She was always interested in someone else. But I'm glad I found you."_

_"I'm glad I found you too, Donald."_

_"You know I love you, right?"_

_"I do. It's nice to hear you say it."_

_"Well... I love you. There. I said it again."_

_"And I love you."_

* * *

Leo and Tasha left next, having said their goodbyes.

Everyone was gone now, except for the three, the original three, the three that were there from the beginning.

"It's just us now," Bree whispered, staring at the now-filled grave plot. "Like it used to be."

* * *

_"Look what I made, Mr. Davenport!"_

_"That's great, Adam! Very... colorful!"_

_"I made it for you. Here."_

_"Thank you, Adam. I'll be sure to keep it in a safe place."_

_..._

_"Does this look okay, Mr. Davenport?"_

_"Why are you all dressed up, Bree?"_

_"You never know when Prince Charming might come swooping in through the door and save me from this boring lab."_

_"Uh-huh. You look great."_

_"Really?"_

_"You're beautiful, Bree. Never forget that. And if Prince Charming stops by, tell him to watch his back. 'Cause you'll never know where I might be."_

_"Mr. Daaavenporrrt!"_

_..._

_"Excellent, Chase! Once again, you continue to surprise me."_

_"Was that okay?"_

_"'Was that okay?' That was amazing! Most kids your age can't even somersault much less take on five attackers."_

_"Well... I learned from the best."_

_"And that is why you're my favorite, Chase."_

_"Really?"_

_"Maybe."_

* * *

_"You three are my greatest inventions. But you're not just my bionic experiments anymore. You are my children. You know how proud you've made me over the years, because I've never failed to remind you. What I have failed to do, however, is tell you how much you guys mean to me, not as science experiments, but as my family. I love you, Adam, Bree, and Chase. I'm sorry for not saying that more often. But I love you. I love you very much."_

* * *

"We love you too," Chase murmured. He stepped forward and placed a single rose on Donald's headstone, his fingers lingering on the smooth marble. Bree and Adam waited for him further away, watching with solemn eyes.

"We love you very much... Dad." And for the first time since he was a kid, the name rolled off his tongue naturally, without a hint of awkwardness or hesitation.

Then Chase straightened and joined his brother and sister.

Bree smiled encouragingly and linked her arm with his, leaning her head on his shoulder, while Adam placed a hand at the nape of his little brother's neck and squeezed comfortingly. Then he ruffled Chase's hair, much to the eighteen-year-old's embarrassment.

The three siblings started walking and made their way through the cemetery, enjoying the sunlight that had suddenly grown warmer and brighter. With each step they took, their hearts grew lighter.

They knew things would never be the same, but they also knew that they would move on and enjoy their lives - just like Donald had wanted them to.

In the end, that was all he'd ever wanted.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack 1: I Miss You by Danny Rayel.**

**Chapter soundtrack 2: Nothing Left to Lose by Ethos Music. **

**Speaking of soundtracks, I created a playlist on YouTube for all the songs I used for Unearthed. The link is on my profile, in the description I have of Unearthed. I'm going to continually update the playlist as I post the chapters, which there'll be only one more chapter after tonight. I'm hoping to have a playlist for Fight Forever coming up soon, as well.**

**So... how was it? I'd really like to know because it was pretty difficult coming up with memories of Donald and his family that aren't in the actual show.**

**Sadly, like I said above, there's only one chapter left. I'll s****ee you guys next week with the conclusion of Unearthed.**

**(I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes.)**


	20. Chapter 18

**I AM SO SORRY.**

**It's been, what, a month? I _never_ meant for that to happen! I am really, really, really sorry. I honestly wanted to give you this chapter on the regular update schedule but things just... sort of... went crazy in my life. Not to mention I had the biggest writer's block yet while writing this chapter. I guess it's just because I wanted this chapter, it being the last one and all, to be really special for you guys.**

**But I finally did it! I finished it!**

**I want to thank all of you for not screaming and cursing at me while I've been away, although I'm sure a lot of you must have wanted to. Believe me, I wouldn't blame you.**

**Okay, down to business.**

*****IMPORTANT*** One of the soundtracks I included in this chapter, some of you may recognize (because I put the lyrics in the story). So I'm just going to tell you right now: the soundtrack is "Pompeii" by Anthem Lights. It's a cover of the original song by Bastille, but *IMPORTANT* I advise you to listen to Anthem Lights's version because 1) the way they did the song fits my story, and 2) Anthem Lights is just really awesome. Check out their music video of "Pompeii" (it's so cool!). You'll know when to listen to the song when you, _ahhhhhh_... get to it in the story (hint, hint).**

**I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter, the result of all my blood, sweat, and tears. And I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors.**

* * *

Lay down

your sweet and weary head.

Night is falling.

You have come to journey's end.

Sleep now

and dream of the ones who came before.

They are calling

from across the distant shore.

-Annie Lennox, "Into the West"

* * *

_One year and three months later..._

* * *

"I'd like to thank all of you for coming here today."

The day was perfect. The sun was warm and the sky was the brightest blue people had ever seen.

A small crowd was bursting with excitement as the speaker's voice spoke over the murmurs...

* * *

..."Today is a momentous day for all of us."

The crowd fell silent, everyone's attention focused on the speaker. The few kids that were present wriggled in their seats and placed their hands over their mouths as they tried to contain their giggles, earning a few hushes and warning glares from the adults...

* * *

..."You all know why we are gathered here today."

Everybody was elegantly dressed. Men wore their finest suits and women wore their best dresses. The little girls and boys were cleaned up, their hair brushed or combed into cute styles...

* * *

..."Today we are here to celebrate the union of two very special people."

The guests were divided into two sections, separated by a lush grassy aisle that led up to a beautiful pavilion. Shade was provided by blossoming willow trees, and a lazy, winding river dotted with fallen flower petals could be seen beyond the pavilion...

* * *

..."This union is a blessing, a blessing that must be cherished always."

The air was cool and a refreshing breeze tugged at people's clothes and hair. Birdsong could be heard in the trees, mixing together in a beautiful harmony that only nature could produce...

* * *

..."Let us all bow our heads together in prayer now."

There was a collective rustle as people closed their eyes and shifted in their seats, ducking their heads...

* * *

..."Lord, our Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful day, where we can come together to celebrate the marriage of these two chosen young people."

Somewhere unseen, a nervous bride wrung out her hands nervously, her heart racing in her chest.

Near the entrance of the pavilion, an anxious groom tried to focus on the prayer, but all he could think about was the woman about to come walking down the aisle.

* * *

..."Be with these two as they are about to commit their lives to each other. Though they may stumble in their walk together, let them not turn their backs on one another."

The bride took deep breaths, closing her eyes against the cool breeze that washed over her and tugged at the wispy pieces of hair that hung around her face.

The groom steadied his breathing, relaxing the grip of his own hands that were clasped together in front of him.

* * *

..."Amen."

Then the music started, the soft tunes of a piano.

People rose to their feet and turned, anticipating the bride.

And when the groom raised his eyes, there she was. His breath was stolen away and all his efforts to stay calm flew out the proverbial window.

And when the bride looked up, there he was. Her vision tunneled and all she could see was him. Fear suddenly gripped her, the air forced out of her lungs. She couldn't do this. She wasn't ready. No. She just couldn't.

To her shame, she was ready to run. And she would've, if it weren't for the solid arm linked with hers, holding her in place.

She glanced over at her little brother and found strength and comfort in his reassuring hazel eyes.

_You can do this,_ they said.

She could do this.

She could.

With a quivering inhale, she lifted her chin and turned her gaze forward. And as one, she and her brother made their way down the grassy aisle. Step by step. Together.

No one cared that her legs were visibly shaking. No one cared that her little brother walked funny, awkwardly - unable to carry his weight normally.

No. The only thing the people noticed was how beautiful the bride was and how handsome her brother looked. They noticed how much they've grown - from awkward and naïve teenagers to time-worn and mature adults.

Many women gasped and smiled at the young woman's wedding gown, a simple white summer dress that fell to her knees, with a upside down V split in the overlay that came together at mid-thigh, revealing the silk skirt underneath. The bodice had a sweet and modest heart-shaped neckline with lacy capped sleeves.

The bride met eyes with her groom, who stood with the preacher under the pavilion. She smiled at the adoring look on his face and felt the tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

This was it.

She was getting married, walking towards the man of her dreams.

Soon, she'd no longer be Bree Davenport, bionic superhero by night, average teenage girl by day.

Soon, she'd be Bree Decker, young wife and college student.

With each step she took, a piece of their future together flashed by her. She could see herself coloring with her kids and becoming the soccer mom she'd always dreaded. She could see herself curled next to Lance after a long day of work, just enjoying each other's company. She could see herself and Lance and their kids playing outside with their dog, laughing and running around. She could...

She nearly broke into tears when she realized Donald would never get to see his grandkids. He'd never get to spoil them with money or cute inventions. He'd... he'd never...

And then they were there, at the foot of the steps leading up to the pavilion. Lance had come down to meet them, smiling warmly down at her. Chase squeezed her arm reassuringly as he kept his gaze forward.

"Who presents this woman to be married to this man?" the pastor asked.

Chase glanced at his sister with an encouraging smile. "On behalf of everyone here today, and... and those who are not, her family and I do." He turned to Bree and kissed her gently on the forehead.

Bree wrapped her arms around her little brother and held him tight, squeezing her eyes shut. Chase returned the hug, the truth finally hitting him like a blow to the chest. His sister was getting married. Although it wasn't the end of the Adam, Bree, and Chase trio, things were never going to be the same anymore. After today, their sister would belong to somebody else.

Then he was placing Bree's hand into Lance's open palm, stepping back as the groom led his bride up the steps and under the pavilion. They stood facing each other, their clasped hands bridging the gap between them.

"These two people before us," the pastor began, "have found something special - something pure. Many people seek their entire lives for what these two young people have, but not all find it. We're here today to unite the love that these two have for each other into a covenant that never will never expire."

Bree and Lance stared at one another, sharing excited smiles. The world around them was spinning. All they were aware of was the two of them, their joined hands grounding them to earth and keeping them from floating away.

"Do you, Lance Decker, take this woman to be your wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, with passion and with devotion for ever and ever until death do you part?"

Lance smiled, never looking away from his lovely bride. "I, Lance Decker, take this woman to be my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, with passion and with devotion for ever and ever until death do us part." He took the ring offered to him by the pastor and slid it slowly, tenderly, onto Bree's slender finger. When he was done, they clasped hands again, as Bree prepared to say her vow, to make it final.

"Do you, Bree Davenport, take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, with passion and with devotion for ever and ever until death do you part?"

"I, Bree Davenport," she started, her heart beating wildly in her chest, "take this man to be my husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, with passion and with devotion for ever and ever until death do us part." She reached out a shaking hand and took the ring held out to her by the pastor. She gripped Lance's left hand in her own as she slid the ring on, sighing in relief and exhilaration when she was finished. Lifting her head, she smiled at Lance, their minds racing with nervous and excited energy.

"By the power vested in me, it is my pleasure to announce you husband and wife!" the pastor exclaimed. "You may kiss the bride."

Bree laughed and threw her arms around Lance's neck, gazing into his eyes as the background faded away until it was just them. Lance grinned as he lowered his head to hers, and they kissed. It was a sweet kiss, a gentle one. But to Bree and Lance, it was like electricity running down their spines, and everything sharpened around them. When they broke apart, they were grinning like idiots, but they didn't care.

* * *

It was getting late into the evening as people still celebrated, dancing here and there and mingling with each other.

There was a ring of dinner tables around a large, tiled dance floor. The white tablecloths blew gently in the breeze, and the light bulbs that were strung above people's heads jingled lightly up and down.

The sky was a dark indigo, and the stars were just visible past the warm glow of the lights. The sky on the horizon was a lighter shade of blue as the sun's rays disappeared.

On every table a candle flickered in the soft wind, providing a nice contrast to the cool night for anyone who held their hands close.

Music could be heard over people's voices, usually the slow songs that people waltzed to. Even at that moment people were paired up and spinning around.

Bree was on the dance floor with Lance, but they were hardly moving. Instead, they were simply swaying to and fro, Bree's head resting on Lance's shoulder, her eyes closed while she wore a contented smile.

Leo, who had finally won over Janelle after many months of asking - _cough_ begging _cough_ \- and warming up - _cough_ sucking up _cough_ \- to her, was dancing with his girlfriend, smiling and laughing as they talked.

Adam had managed to find someone as unique as him. She had been cute to him at first, but what really won him over was the fact that she, with her petite little body, had beaten him at an arm-wrestling match. (He'd even slipped in a little of his super strength but she'd _still _won!) Adam and Dixie (that was her name) were over by the food tables, raiding the seafood section.

Even Tasha wasn't here alone. She was standing with a man she'd met when she was going for grief counseling. They weren't a "thing" because it was still too soon for both of them. Shelton Turner had lost his wife a year ago while she'd been giving birth to their baby girl. As of right now, he and Tasha were just good friends, tied to each other by the pain they both shared.

But maybe in a few years, and if things go as the Davenport kids expect them to, they might be gaining another sibling. Bree was brimming with excitement because she couldn't wait to dote on little Adana. As soon as Chase and Adam and Leo got their butts moving (she would grumble to others), she'd have four sisters in the (hopefully) near future.

Finally. The testosterone had been unbearable for years.

_Any_way...

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I said so."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Why?"

"What are you - four?"

"I don't know. I haven't learned how to count my fingers yet."

There was a longsuffering groan and a quiet bang as a certain eighteen-year-old let his head fall onto the table. "Just go awaaayyy," he whined, his voice muffled by the tablecloth.

"Who's being the four-year-old now?" the girl sitting next to him countered, her voice dripping with sass. She'd been hanging out with Bree _waaayyy_ too much.

Chase rolled his head just enough so that he could peek up at her, glaring. "Why are you still here?" he grumbled, turning away again.

"You're going to dance with me whether you like it or not."

"No. I'm not."

"Yes. You are."

"You can't make me."

"Real mature. You'd think a genius like you would come up with more persuading reasons."

"Okay," Chase said, sitting up. "Fine. I don't want to dance because I _can't_. My knee will give out the second we're on that dance floor."

Selena squinted at him, blowing a puff of air in frustration as she tried to figure out what to do. "You're impossible," she finally said, leaning back and slouching in her chair with her arms crossed, a pout firmly planted on her face.

"You're unreasonable," Chase retorted, crossing his own arms.

"But I'm also stubborn. And I get what I want. And I want to dance."

Chase threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Why is this so important to you?" he cried in exasperation.

"_Because_ I have never danced with someone before. In case you've forgotten, I didn't exactly have the greatest childhood, considering I'd been on my own since _I was twelve_."

Chase's expression softened, but he still shook his head. "No."

Selena's face pinched in annoyance. "Look, I know you're nervous about your knee, b-"

"It's not just my knee," Chase murmured, interrupting her. "It's... Just, no." He got up and pretended not to see the hurt look on Selena's face.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and wandered around, taking in all the guests.

Damiana's foster parents were there. Although it hurt because of the painful reminders of their lost sister, the Davenport family had gotten closer to the Stones over the last few months.

A lot of Bree's friends were there, new ones from college and some from high school that she'd stayed close with.

Lance's family and his friends were there. Chase spotted the groom's younger brother and sister chasing the other kids around. Squeals and giggles rose above the music that poured out from the speakers.

Chase greeted a few of the guests and made small talk, trying to ignore the holes he knew Selena had to be burning into his back with her gaze.

Finally, he found himself by the refreshment table and poured a glass of punch, turning and leaning against the table as he took a sip. His knee, still tender and healing, twinged painfully and he had to fight the urge to rub it.

Someone came and stood next to him as he was taking another drink, and he didn't have to look to know it was Selena.

"Maybe it is my knee," he murmured before she could speak. "I don't know. I know you want to dance. Believe me - I'd love to sweep you off your feet like those guys in the movies. But I want it to be really special for you and I'm afraid my knee is going to mess that up. I don't want it to buckle in the middle of a step. I don't want to trip you up." He paused. Then whispered, "I want it to be perfect for you.

Selena was silent for a moment, but when she spoke, her voice was choked up. "And here I was thinking that you were afraid to tell me you couldn't dance."

Chase snorted, smirking. "Oh, I can dance." Then his smile fell. "Or, at least, I used to..."

For a moment, he felt a wave of utter hatred wash over him. Douglas had taken so much from them, from him. Now Chase couldn't even give his girl the dance she wanted. It was so unfair.

"Hey."

The red in Chase's vision suddenly fell away when a soothing hand was laid on his arm. He turned and met Selena's gaze to see it full of sadness but understanding. "We don't have to dance," she murmured. "It's okay." But it wasn't okay. Chase could hear the longing in her voice and it was killing him.

_Ahhhhhhahh..._

Chase saw Selena suddenly perk up at the next song, her eyes brightening. Chase knew it had to be a song she really liked, but she was biting her tongue for his sake.

_Ahhhhhhahh..._

"You know what?" he said, determined, surprising her. He put down his drink and faced her, holding out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

_Ahhhhhhahh..._

"Are you sure?" Selena asked, hesitant, but he could see the desire in her growing stronger.

"Absolutely," he said, flashing his most winning smile.

_Ahhhhhhahh..._

Selena's response was to grin back and clasp his hand, dragging him out onto the dance floor.

"Don't worry," she said quietly as they got into position. "I won't let you mess up."

"I feel better already," Chase replied, raising their entwined hands and placing his other hand at her waist, holding her close.

_I was left to my own devices_

_Many days fell away with nothing to show_

Selena and Chase started to dance to the music, Selena slowly starting pick up the pace as the song's tempo increased.

_And the walls kept tumbling down in this city that we looovvve_

_Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from abooovvve_

Chase and Selena slowed with the song, spinning around each other, everything else around them beginning to fade away until it was only them and the music.

_But if you close your eyes_

_Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?_

Other couples on the dance floor swayed around them. Lance spun Bree around, smiling as her hair and dress floated out behind her. Adam and Dixie pranced around each other, grinning at their crazy moves. Leo and Janelle were trying to ignore the fact that Leo kept stepping on his girlfriend's toes.

_We were caught up and lost in all of our vices_

_In your pose as the dust settles around us_

Selena and Chase laughed when Chase's bad leg gave out like he'd predicted and unbalanced him, and they lightly collided together, clinging on to each other while couples near them grinned at their antics.

_And the walls kept tumbling down in this city that we looovvve_

"Are you ready for this?" Selena whispered to Chase, their foreheads pressed together as they listened to the harmonizing voices of the singers.

_Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from abooovvve_

"No," he replied, just as breathless.

_But if you close your eyes_

Nevertheless, Chase grabbed Selena and pulled her with him as he swung her around, the people around them parting as they danced close.

_Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?_

_And if you close your ey-eyes_

_Does it almost feel like you've been here before?_

Bree and Lance spun around each other, moving as one body, one mind. They were only aware of each other and their racing hearts.

_How am I gonna be an optimist about this?_

_How am I gonna be an optimist about this?_

Instantly, as the rhythmic drums and peppy horns suddenly fell away, the people on the dance floor slowed until they were swaying in place, turning in small circles.

_Oh where do begin?_

_The rubble or our sins?_

"I'm really glad you found me that time forever ago," Selena whispered, leaning against Chase for a few moments.

Chase placed a gentle kiss on her hair, breathing in its sweet smell. "I'm really glad you saved me," he murmured, "that time forever ago."

_Oh where do we begin? _

_The rubble or our sins?_

"How's it feel to be Mrs. Bree Decker?" Lance asked, pulling away to look down at his beautiful young wife.

"It feels amazing," Bree breathed, closing her eyes with a soft smile on her lips. "This night is amazing."

_Oh where do we begin?_

_The rubble or our sins?_

"You're a pretty swell dancer, toots," Dixie said in that biker voice of hers, poking him in the chest as they gently moved back and forth.

"You're not so bad yourself, darlin'," Adam replied, mimicking a western accent.

_Oh where do we begin?_

_The rubble or our siiinnns?_

And as the music swelled and the singers' voices rose, the people on the dance floor spun around each other wildly again, moving together as if they had been made perfectly for one another.

_But if you close your eyes_

_Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?_

Onlookers clapped their hands to the tempo, smiling and laughing as they watched all the beautiful ladies and handsome men, a flurry of colorful gowns and black suits.

_And if you close your ey-eyes_

_Does it almost feel like you've been here before?_

The dancing began to climax as feet moved faster and faster, everyone simply lost in the moment.

_How am I gonna be an optimist about this?_

_How am I gonna be an optimist about this?_

Adam and Dixie hopped side-to-side in unison, wiggling their butts before jumping again. No one would disagree that Adam and Dixie's smiles were the biggest ones there, their childlike personalities sparked once again.

Leo and Janelle danced together in a form of salsa, their feet constantly moving as they stepped back and forward, back and forward, back, forward.

_Close your eyes_

Bree and Lance grinned at each other as they clasped hands, moving in a rapid waltz, soaking in the excitement.

_You've been here before_

Chase completely forgot about his weak leg and grinned as he twirled Sly around and then let her go, watching with admiration as she danced on her own, her sparkling dress fanning out behind her and dazzling in the light.

And as the music continued to play for just a little bit longer, the marching band reaching its apex, everything faded away except for the music and the bright swirling dresses and clapping hands and blinding smiles. No one remembered the struggles and the pain and the tears of the past six years.

Even when the music finally came to a stop and people reluctantly pulled away from their partners, breathless and adrenalized, the excitement never faded away. Their hopes and dreams were spinning faster than ever in their hearts and their love for one another was stronger than it had ever been.

For the first time in a very long time, the Davenport family was truly happy.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

It was late into the night, and everyone had gone home and were probably already asleep. Except for several people.

Stars shone in the night sky like miniature diamonds. The sky was black, a vast expanse of darkness broken by the billions of pinpricks of light.

The air was chilly, but on the roof of the newly rebuilt and refurbished Davenport mansion, the family was huddled around a fire pit, in which a warm fire cracked and sparked.

They stared into the flames, lost in their own thoughts.

The orange light flickered on their faces and in their eyes, causing shadows to play among their features.

Five stone benches formed a circle around the pit, two people sitting on each one. Leo and Janelle, Bree and Lance, Chase and Selena, Tasha and Shelton, Adam and Dixie.

Most of the men had given the girls their jackets to ward off the cold air, except for Tasha (she was smart enough to bring her own jacket).

So now they all sat, together. Here they were, at the end of it all, and they were still a family.

"Why does it feel like we're saying goodbye?" Bree whispered, breaking the silence. She'd dared to say what no one else would but what everyone felt.

There was an unmistakable feel in the air, as if they were on the edge of letting something else go - again.

Chase felt a reluctance to fall asleep, because he knew that when he woke up, something else would be lost forever. Across from each other, Chase and Adam's gazes met, and with a glance over at Bree and Leo, Chase could tell that his siblings felt the same way.

Selena, Lance, Janelle, and Shelton couldn't see it. In fact, they didn't even feel the change in the atmosphere. They didn't understand what was happening.

But Tasha, Adam, Bree, Chase, and Leo did.

No longer was Tasha the wife of an egotistical billionaire inventor who had kind, sometimes childish, heart. No longer was Leo the Mission Specialist, begging to go on a mission to save the world and be a hero. No longer were Adam, Bree, and Chase the bionic teenagers who just wanted to be normal despite everything not-normal about them and their family.

It was all gone. Those lives were gone.

"We've got to go our own ways now," Chase said, looking up at the people around him.

"I'm going to start working again," Tasha added.

"Janelle and I are going to traveling to different colleges this summer," Leo piped in, squeezing his girlfriend's hand comfortingly and smiling at her.

"Dixie and I'll be hanging around for a while," Adam said with a shrug.

Bree glanced worriedly at Lance. "We'll be going back to campus soon," she murmured.

Selena's voice was solemn as she said, "And Chase and I are going to start DIA."

_Davenport International Agency_.

Chase and Selena had agreed that they just couldn't leave the world undefended, especially now that Chase, Adam, and Bree weren't active in missions much anymore. So they decided that they would build the DIA from the ground up. They would train the next generation of heroes, and the next, and the next, until their time was up. It seemed like something Donald would've approved of.

"We'll still get to see each other, right?" Bree asked, her face pinched.

"Oh, yeah."

"Totally."

"All the time."

But everyone sitting around the fire knew those words were lies. A new era had begun for the Davenport family and its newest additions.

The silence weighed heavily on everyone's minds. Eyes were once again drawn back to the fire.

"So it really is like we're saying goodbye," Bree whispered, sad and afraid, which surprised her. When she was younger, she couldn't wait to find her Prince Charming and get swept away from her annoying brothers and neglectful dad. But now that that time was actually here, she found herself not wanting to let go.

She looked up at Adam and Chase, whose eyes were still staring into the flames. She didn't know when it happened, but she'd grown quite fond of her brothers. Adam had become the stone pillar of their little trio, a sturdy support to lean on to. Chase, well... Chase was still her precious little brother, but she came to realize just how much she depended on him as well. Looking at them both now, she couldn't help but admire how mature they were. She sniffled quietly. Her boys were all grown up!

Tasha gazed over her children, and even her children-to-be (hopefully), with love and pride. She remembered how far they'd all come, all the trails they'd faced. All the struggles. All of them led up to now, here, in this moment. If Donald were with them, he'd be just as proud, if not even more so.

"You guys have given me the family I never had," Selena suddenly said, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I wanted to thank you for that."

Chase glanced over at her and lightly bumped her with his shoulder, a small smile on his face.

"I used to think you were the weirdest people I'd ever met," Janelle stated. "But that video a year ago made me realize that you guys are pretty great." Leo started to grin but then she said, "Leo is alright, too."

"Hey!" he protested, raising a hand to this heart, wounded.

"Kidding," she replied in a tone that suggested she may or may not have actually been kidding, leaving Leo to frown and squint at her distrustfully.

"You have something to be proud of," Shelton said. "You have each other."

"Always," Lance finished, briefly tightening the arm he had wrapped around Bree's shoulders.

"Y'all's my heroes," Dixie said simply in her old-fashioned accent. "I couldn't ask for mores than that."

"You hear that?" Selena murmured, this time bumping Chase's shoulder with her own. "You're heroes."

Chase looked down at his hands, fighting against the lump that was forming in his throat.

It was as if a silent, unanimous decision was made between most of the people gathered around the fire, because Chase, Bree, Leo, and Adam found themselves alone. Everyone else had gotten up and left, standing at the opposite edge of the roof and overlooking the sleeping landscape below.

Chase looked up and saw Bree eyes were brimming with tears, and even Adam and Leo looked like they were close to crying.

He wanted more than anything to tell them that nothing had changed, nothing will change, but that would be a lie.

"We will always have each other," he said, remembering Shelton and Lance's earlier words. So what if his voice was a little thick?

"_That _will never change," Adam added.

"Because we're family," Bree said with a small smile.

"And family never turns its back on family," Leo put in, lifting his eyes to his siblings.

They stood up as one and moved around the fire pit until they embraced each other in a group hug, finality hanging in the air.

"I love you guys," Leo said, squeezing Bree and Chase. "You've given me some of the best years of my life."

"We love you too, Leo," Adam said softly, tightening his grip on his younger siblings. "We're glad we have you for a brother."

"Promise we will never forget each other," Bree urged. "Promise we'll never let distance or time or arguments ever get between us."

Chase smiled as his sister. "We promise."

The four hugged again, lingering in each other's holds for just a little bit longer.

When they broke apart, they made their way over to the rest of the family.

Lance slung an arm around Bree and pulled her close, planting a kiss on her forehead. Janelle took Leo's hand and smiled comfortingly at him. Adam and Dixie's arms were linked as they leaned on the edge of the roof. Chase had embraced Selena from behind, and she relaxed into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder, content. Tasha and Shelton's arms brushed as they simply stood together, just enjoying the company they provided for each other.

For a long time, the family just stood there on the roof, watching the city below them and the starry horizon in the distance.

Everything had an end. One chapter of the Davenports' lives had passed, but they knew that another one was about to begin.

It was scary - not knowing what was ahead for them. It was scary - now that everything had changed, nothing was predictable. All sense of control over their lives was gone now.

As they stood there, Tasha, Adam, Bree, Chase, and Leo weren't afraid anymore. They were Davenports, related to the bravest man there ever was. If anyone could take on whatever the future dealt, it was them.

Why?

Because they were Davenports.

And that would never change.

* * *

**Chapter soundtrack #1: Untitled 3 by Sigur Ros. The beginning of the chapter/the wedding.**

**Chapter soundtrack #2: Pomeii by Anthem Lights. The dancing scene, of course.**

**Chapter soundtrack #3: Into the West by Annie Lennox. From the last line break and on.**

**Wow, look at that! Not only was it a semi-long chapter, but you also got three really cool soundtracks! I hope you guys enjoyed the conclusion to Unearthed. I'm actually quite satisfied with the way it turned out. I still have trouble describing dancing scenes, so that part was a bit rocky for me. But hopefully it was okay for you. Oh! And did anyone notice the parallelism between the first chapter and the last one?**

**I suck at describing dresses, so if anyone wants to see what Bree's wedding dress actually looks like, just type in "Straps Empire Waist Knee-length Wedding Dress" into your browser and you can find it on either the _Outer Dress_ website or the _OuterInner_ website. It's the same dress on both sites.**

**I want to thank all my reviewers and readers, especially those who have stuck with me through the thick and thin. We got off to a slow start, and, even still, Unearthed didn't do nearly as well as Fight Forever, but that's the way all sequels go (most of the time). And I'm grateful for every single review and favorite and follow. You guys mean so much to me. Without your encouraging words, I probably wouldn't have continued with this story. I probably wouldn't even have finished Fight Forever. **

**But now we've come to the end of the Fight Forever duology. I can guarantee you there won't be another sequel, but there will be a prequel and oneshots that I've promised to write - so you'll see me again! And I'll still be around, somewhere, floating around this website, stalking people's stories. Hehe.**

**This is goodbye for now. I promise I'll be back soon. You guys are so awesome. This has been an amazing journey for me, and I can only hope it was the same for you, as well.**

**Here's a little parting song. Take these few minutes to just sit back and relax and feel the nostalgia.**

**Broken Wings by Flyleaf. **


End file.
